Soulless
by Syntastics
Summary: When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth. Sequel to Seven Years War. MidnaxLink!
1. Chapter 1

**READER DISCRESSION ADVISED. **

_Kidding. But this is pretty gross, I think. No gore, maybe a little blood though._

_In other words- R rated things turned down into T rated. _

_Go to the movies section and click on Dawn of the Dead._

_Do you catch what I'm trying to say? ;)_

Midna and Link sat in their thrones, smiling. It has been five months since their marriage on August 9th. They were doing their morning routine- answering questions the Twili have. Only a select few were able to get into the Palace. They were the merchants, the upper classmen, and the Twili that had a major problem, mentally, physically, or something that could affect the population. But that hasn't happened since someone walked in talking about the Fused Shadows back when Link and Midna didn't exist yet.

Several merchants came in, asking for funding for their shops, and the upper classmen came in, advising what Midna and Link should do about minor problems. But there was one person who came in, her head down, and her hair covering most of her face.

"How may we help you?" Midna asked calmly, sensing nothing suspicious.

"The rats have gotten up out of the Open Twilight and are biting the citizens," she said quietly.

"We'll take care of them immediately," Midna smiled and nodded.

"It should be taken care of now, before this gets out of hand."

"We will do that."

The woman looked up. "Okay… But I hope I'm dead before they get to me…"

Link and Midna looked at each other. Link shrugged and turned back to the now empty room.

"Who do you think she meant by _they_?" Midna asked worriedly.

"Guess the rats. But whatever- we'll get them killed before they do any harm.

Midna nodded. "Well, now that we have time alone…" she said, smiling.

"I think we should get someone on that."

Midna huffed sarcastically. "Fine…"

Link stood up, and the soldiers left in the room turned and bowed. Link nodded his head.

"We need someone to fix the rat problem… Volunteers?"

The soldiers looked at each other- they had never been given the choice.

"Link," Midna said. He turned around. "Don't be a pushover- just say who goes and kills them. You won't hurt their feelings by not choosing a person," Midna added on with a grin. Link rolled his eyes.

"Okay, fine." Link addressed his crowd. "Since Midna wants me to be harsh, you, you, and you!" Link said, pointing at a different person each time. "Go kill the stupid rats."

They nodded and chuckled. "Yes, your Highness," one said. The other two smiled and walked out of the room.

"You… might just be the most… entertaining King the Twilight Realm has ever had," Midna said, laughing in between words.

"I'm still getting used to things, okay?"

"I still wonder how you managed to break the Mirror from this side of it," Midna laughed.

"I didn't! For the seventh time today, _I didn't break the Mirror!_" Link said, starting to get angry.

Midna put her hands up in defense. "My, my, don't _you_ have a short fuse." After a glare from Link, she smiled and kept going on. "I believe you. I was just kidding, you know."

"Yeah, whatever."

"But… I still wonder to this day… _How?"_

"I saw a small crack on the right side, but I don't think that was enough to break it."

"I bet you Zelda put on weight- too much load to transport!" Midna chuckled. They both laughed for a little bit.

"Sorry Zelda," Midna said, looking up at the ceiling. "I didn't mean it. You can laugh at me too."

"Deal," said a different voice from the end of the room.

Link and Midna looked in the general direction, but saw nothing.

"What was that?" Midna and Link asked at the same time. Link unsheathed the Master Sword.

"You should probably retur- Nevermind," Midna said, looking at the floor.

Link put two fingers underneath her chin and forced her to look up at him. "For the last time, I'm alright with this. More than you know."

"I'm going to try to repair the Mirror, just so you know. Then you'll have to go back."

"But I'm the King," Link added with a smile.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about it."

"No you're not. Now I'm going to find what's there."

"Why don't you just do this?" Midna readied a ball of magic and threw it at the wall. It turned it transparent, but no one was there.

"Huh," Midna said, confused. "They must have left."

"Whoever it was responded to Zelda's name."

"Forget it- the Twili think I should have let them kidnap her, but of course I couldn't. I really like Zelda. Like a sister."

"Yeah, me too."

"Wouldn't that be awkward, marrying your sister!" Midna laughed, and Link laughed awkwardly.

"Link, it's your past."

"Yeah, could we not bring it up?"

Midna shrugged. "Don't do something you'll regret."

"At that time, I didn't regret it, okay?"

Midna was taken aback- it stunned her to silence. She turned the walls solid again and stared out of the room.

Link sat back down and sighed. "Sorry. I shouldn't have told you that."

"No, it's… fine."

Link turned away. "But it makes me feel worse," Midna muttered under her breath.

They sat in silence for most of the day. It was Sunday, so their schedules weren't very filled up. Link and Midna eventually decided to take a short walk in the central circle, just to get outside. They held hands and smiled at everyone who looked at them. All the children gave Midna and Link hugs, and Link picked one child up and threw her into the air and caught her. She laughed and laughed, and when he put her down, she ran off to her friends.

A man came up to them and bowed. "Good afternoon, your Majesties."

"Hello," Midna greeted.

"May I ask something of you?"

"Of course."

"May you take care of the rat problem? They're incredibly annoying, and my wife can't seem to get me to take care of them myself. I just… they're disgusting. I can't look one in the eye. It's her birthday tomorrow… Will you help me?"

"We already sent three soldiers to take care of them- they should be going around to every house to make sure the rats aren't getting to them."

"Thank you so very much! This is really helpful! I don't want any diseased animals around my family!"

"I'm sure they're not diseased, are they?" Link asked, eyes narrowed in question.

"If they are, it's a more urgent problem and is being handled at this very moment," Midna assured both Link and the man.

The man nodded uncertainly and walked back to his house.

"It's no problem," Midna answered the question on Link's lips.

"It can be," Link warned.

"But it's not." Midna squeezed Link's hand and continued walking. Link followed, but his mind was somewhere else.

They sat down on the bench with Zeph's plaque on it and looked at their kingdom. People bowed as they saw them- women flashed Link flirty looks, and threw Midna jealous looks.

Link got up and stood next to the ledge to the Open Twilight, but not close enough if someone pushed him, he would fall into it.

"Link, your Highness, may I have a word?"

Link turned to the small boy next to him. "Yes," he said, and waited.

"Um, well, uh, I was only wondering… Who is the bad guy that lives down in that trench?"

"The bad guy…" _Zant. _"I think your parents can give you a better explanation than I can," Link lied, not wanting to scare the boy.

"My parents won't tell me."

_They don't want to scare him either. _"He's a very bad man, but that's all I can tell you."

"I only want to know- if it makes me have nightmares I know it's my fault."

"You do know. He does bad things to people."

"How?"

Link shook his head. "You can learn about that when you're older."

The boy walked away, muttering to himself. He stared back down into the Open Twilight, seeing where the dim light didn't reach any farther down… And five months ago he went down there…

Link wondered how big the trench was. Was the entire bottom of it filled with those power gems, or whatever you call them?

Redmer. He had never heard of it before. Was it Twilight Magic? Could it do something to harm him in the long run? The taste was so disgusting, but… it was addicting. He could taste and feel that familiar sensation that healed him and gave him the ability to jump several feet into the air. Did it still work?

He jumped into the air- the same height as usual. They only last for a short time.

Several people gasping and screaming made Link whirl around. A person with some of his flesh cut out of his skin and skin missing around his jaw was running towards Midna! Midna jumped up from the bench and hit the person with a spell that knocked him over into the Open Twilight. Another was going for a citizen, so Link whipped out his bow and arrow and shot it right between the eyes. It fell to the ground and started having what looked like a seizure.

Link and Midna ran towards each other, eyes widened.

"It's the rat plague!"

"The rats have bitten the people!"

"Find a weapon!"

Parents were shouting orders at their children to get inside- to keep the door shut and not allow anyone in except them.

"How did this happen?" Midna shouted at Link above the screaming.

"The rats! They're diseased! Their bite! It… it changes them!

Midna looked down at the fallen man. It was one of the three guards that Link sent to kill the rats. Midna clutched Link's arm, and shot down another one with her magic.

"We've got to get out of here," Link said immediately.

"_I can't leave my people!" _Midna shouted angrily.

"Midna, we're going to _die!" _

"_So are the Twili!"_

Link grabbed Midna's arm and dragged her back into the palace. He picked up a sharp-looking stone on his way in and started sharpening his sword after he slammed the door.

Midna looked out of the window and saw a mother trying to get into her house. The daughter was about to let her in, but then she saw half of her mother's face missing, and decided not to. Midna could see the little girl through the window, and wished desperately to help her. She was clutching a little doll in her arm, and it made Midna clutch the window to keep her from breaking it and running out.

Link came up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her. "It's going to be okay," he murmured into her ear.

"For us, not for _them!"_

Link turned her around. "Listen! You're not going out there, and I'm not leaving you alone! _Understand me?!"_

Midna clenched her fists to avoid smacking him upside the face. But she took her anger out and burst the door open and ran towards the possessed mother trying to break into the house.

"_MIDNA!" _Link yelled furiously- whipping out his sword. The possessed woman turned around and charged at Midna- only to be hit directly in the gut. She fell down, and Midna ran inside.

The little girl came up to her, her doll soaked with her tears. "Princess…"

"I'm so sorry, child! But is there any one else in the house?"

The little girl nodded. "My baby brother…"

"You come with me, okay? Where's your brother?"

"_MIDNA!" _Link called again.

"Upstairs…" the girl said, breathing in stuttered gasps. _She must be terrified, _Midna thought.

Midna picked up the little girl and carried her like a baby up the stairs, and held her tight. The girl was sobbing hard now.

"Where is your father?"

She couldn't answer, but Midna pressed. "Where is he? You have to keep talking to me, okay?"

"Out looking… for Momma…!" Midna let the girl cry into her chest and found the brother. He was sound asleep. Midna picked him up carefully and adjusted the girl. She flew down the steps of the tiny home.

The boy yawned and poked Midna's shoulder when she passed his mother outside. "Momma go boom!" he said, pointing at his mom, twitching.

"Don't look at her, sweetie, okay?" Midna said shakily. She met up with Link and they both ran into the palace.

"What were you _thinking?!" _Link asked incredulously.

"_I care about saving as much as of my people as I can! _Now _get out of my way!"_

Midna turned a corner when a zombie- like creature charged up to Midna and got the girl on her arm, as much as Midna tried to swerve away. Midna put down the child and grabbed Link's arm with her free hand and charged up the stairs.

Midna ran into her bedroom and shut and locked the door, as well as put a heavy lounge chair in front of it.

There was a loud banging on the door, which severely indented it. Midna clutched the lounge chair and pushed it up against the door with all the power she could muster.

"We're doomed," Midna whispered shakily.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

**So, did you like it? Did ya? Did ya? Did ya? Did ya? **

**DID YOU?!**

**Well, whether you liked it or not, you're going to review! I mean COME ON, you read this entire thing, why not say if it's good or bad? **

**To tell you the truth, I thought it was so terrible when children are left alone without their parents. It's enough to make Midna (cough and me cough) go NUTS. **

**Well…**

**REVIEW. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the reviews, people! You still rock! =D**

**(Zelda's POV) **Zelda walked hand in hand with her husband, Darion, around the Courtyard of Hyrule Castle. They sat on a bench and looked at all the beautiful plants and chirping birds. Butterflies whirled around them and one landed on Zelda's arm. She reached over to it, and it got up and flew away.

"I still can't get over how amazing Hyrule is," Darion murmured. "It's beautiful."

"It is," Zelda agreed.

"But… what happened during the war?"

Zelda turned to look at him, now becoming nervous. "Which one?"

"There was more than one?"

"Yes, there was. The Great Hylian War, back when I wasn't born, and the war with the Twili a few years ago. But I don't think that counts as a war…"

"What are the Twili?"

Zelda knew where this was going, but answered her husband anyway. After all, Darion never lied to her, and she must do the same.

"The Twili are people that live in the Twilight Realm- a world opposite ours. In Hyrule, light shines bright. There is day and night. In the Twilight Realm, it always remains the hour of Twilight. It is a realm of shadows. Once, it was a realm of evil. But it is fine now."

"Why were you at war with them?"

"They wanted to break into Hyrule, and we didn't want them here."

"Why not?"

Zelda took a deep breath. "A man named Zant was granted the gift of a terrible evil- magic unknown to the Twili. He turned them into Shadow Beasts- creatures that devour light. The Shadow Beasts escaped from the Twilight Realm and sucked the light out of the provinces. The guardians of the light were defeated, as well as me. I was imprisoned in the highest tower of Hyrule Castle while the world was becoming darker and darker."

"So you were nervous they would do it again," Darion assumed.

Zelda nodded.

"What about the people of the land?" he asked.

"They were turned into sprits, and knew nothing but fear. They're lives were possessed by it- some went insane. But I was not turned into a spirit- I had the power of the Goddesses in my soul, as well as a magic cloak, just in case."

Darion nodded, taking it all in. "I just don't believe that a beautiful land like this could be trapped in Twilight," he murmured.

"It happened, and it's over now," Zelda said, trying to end the conversation.

Darion sighed, but was persistent. "What happened to Zant?"

"He is in the Open Twilight- a deep trench below the Twilight Realm."

"How'd he get there?"

"He jumped," Zelda said immediately. She didn't want to get talking about Link or Midna. She didn't know what had happened to Link- all she knew was that after she got to Hyrule, the mirror broke behind her. She still had the scar in her back to prove it.

Darion looked up at the sky- it was nearing sunset. "Shall we?" he asked, standing up and holding out his hand. Zelda smiled and took it, and they walked back to the Castle together.

"I'm still not done with the conversation," he added into Zelda's ear.

"I know," she whispered back, still staring straight ahead at the huge Castle doors.

The hall was quiet, and Zelda sat down on the red velvet sofa. Darion sat across from her on the leather one. Zelda's heart started beating fast and hard. She looked around for the source of it, but nothing suspicious stuck out. She narrowed her eyes and kept searching for the cause of the standing hair on the back of her neck, but found nothing.

"What's wrong?" Darion asked.

"I don't know," Zelda said, slowly turning her attention to Darion. "But it's killing me not knowing."

Darion looked at her, eyebrows bunched together in confusion.

"Nevermind," she said, and poured herself a cup of tea. She drank one sip, but her heart beat faster as if to say, _"Something's wrong and you're drinking tea?!" _

Zelda stood up. "Not right. Something's not right," she muttered.

"What's not right?" Darion asked, standing up too.

"I don't know! But I need to find out!"

"How do you know that something's wrong? A soldier would have come and told us."

Zelda looked at the glowing Triforce on her hand. Two parts of it was glowing- the Wisdom and the Courage. But Zelda disregarded it. "Wisdom," she replied, and dashed out the door, with Darion at her heels. She didn't know where to go, so she started with the closest thing- Castle Town. After giving the roads one swift look and noticing nothing was different, she went out the south gate and surveyed Faron Province.

"Zelda! At least get a horse, and we'll take a look around!" Darion called from behind her, still running.

Zelda nodded and went to the stable to the east of Hyrule Castle and mounted her horse. It was a white horse with a white mane, and Darion mounted the one he brought from his country- a brown horse with a black mane. Zelda's horse reared when it touched the grass of Hyrule Field, and then took off. Darion followed Zelda, unsure of what was going through her mind.

"Where…" Zelda murmured. She had felt this same feeling in her heart when Zant was approaching Hyrule Castle. The familiar beat of her heart- like it wanted out of her chest. She galloped through Kakariko Village, assuring the villagers that their area was safe…

Death Mountain wasn't erupting; the Snowpeak Mountains didn't have that unwelcoming purple glow about them that signaled evil… The Temple of Time was alright- not even the monkey and his puppets were dwelling in the Sacred Grove. Zelda didn't know about the heavens- let alone how Link got there, but assumed it was alright. Something would be sent down from the heavens if all was wrong. But Zelda decided to go see Shad from Kakariko, just to be sure. She rode west to Kakariko and hurried into Renado's hut. She put on her same look of peace when she entered.

"Queen Zelda! King Darion!" Renado exclaimed, and got to his knees. "What brings the Royal Family to my humble hut?"

"I'm so sorry for the intrusion, but I must ask, where is Shad?"

"He's… in the basement," Renado replied. "But it's very dirty down there; do you want me to get him?"

"No, we're not afraid of a mess," Zelda said, speaking from experience.

"The basement is right here," Renado said, pointing to the hole in the floor.

"Thank you." Zelda started walking towards the hole, and began to climb down the chain ladder. Darion uncertainly followed.

When Zelda's foot touched the ground, she coughed. _It's terribly musty down here, _Zelda thought. She walked forwards into a clearing in the rock and found Shad studying a statue.

"Princ- I mean, King Darion! And her majesty, Queen Zelda! H-h-how may I help you?"

"I was wondering, what can you tell me about the heavens?" Zelda asked.

"The h-h-heavens? Oh, y-yes. Um, well… The Oocca live there…"

Zelda tilted her head slightly to the right and folded her hands, waiting.

"I'm sorry, your Majesties, but… I'm having a m-memory blank…"

"That's quite alright, Shad. May you tell us some other time?" Zelda asked politely, but very frustrated inside.

"Y-yes. Would you mind if it was planned?"

"Of course not. But… let's do it sometime soon, okay?"

"Yes, your Majesties," Shad said, and bowing another time.

Zelda began her climb up the ladder, and Darion followed with confusion.

Zelda opened the doors of Renado's hut and mounted her horse, then galloped out to the field west of Hyrule Castle. Darion quickly followed.

"What's wrong?" Darion asked Zelda once he caught up to her.

_"I don't know!" _Zelda yelled for the umpteenth time.

"What about the forest, fire, or water temples?"

"I can't get to the water temple, I need the boomerang to fully survey the forest temple, and I would _kill _myself if I went in the fire temple! Plus, I have to get up there- and I can't wear a dress for that."

"Where's the water temple in Lake Hylia? Maybe I could reach it," Darion offered.

"Underwater."

It didn't stop the King. "How deep?"

"Maybe 1,000 feet, maybe more."

Darion looked at the ground. "How did Link get there?" he asked. Zelda immediately looked up at him.

"How'd you know about Link?"

"How _didn't _I know about Link?"

Zelda looked at the ground. "He had a Zora Tunic- it gave him the ability to breathe underwater and withstand tremendous pressure like a Zora."

"Where is it?"

"I don't know."

Darion gave up. "I say we go home now- it's pretty dark."

Zelda didn't even notice that the sun had set behind the mountains and that the crickets were chirping. "Something's wrong, Darion," Zelda said seriously.

"I believe you."

"And you want to sleep?"

"Zelda, face it. Something's wrong, and we don't know what. We've checked almost the whole kingdom, and nothing was wrong. I think that this matter should be checked tomorrow."

"It should be dealt with now."

"We don't even know where! Zelda, you won't be able to stay up all night- most people can't. So why don't we save this for another day and head back?"

Zelda glared at him.

"I promise that we'll deal with this. I wouldn't lie to you."

She sighed, and started heading east for the huge black silhouette that was her home.

_Something's wrong, _she kept repeating to herself. _It's bad too. And since I know about it, I should tell someone. _

_One the other hand, I don't want my people to believe I'm crazy. My mother got it hard. Poor Benevolence… _

_But something's _wrong, _Zelda! You know it! The Goddesses know it! But nobody else does!_

Zelda continued to argue with the two sides of her for the ride to the Castle. She didn't even realize she was there now- she was just sitting on the top of her horse.

"Are you going to sleep there? I don't think Gretchen would like it."

"Sorry?" Zelda asked, waking up from her imagination.

"Let's walk Gretchen and Sir Luttrell back to their stalls, shall we?"

"Oh yes… okay…" Zelda dismounted Gretchen and walked her through Castle Town to the stables. She unlocked the door that led to the Royal Family's stable and led her into her stall. She happily lapped up some water and then begun chewing hay.

Darion led Zelda out and up the ramp to the Castle. He carried her into their room and laid her on the bed, where she fell fast asleep.

****************************

In Zelda's dream, there was a flash of a dark cloud, illuminated by a dim light. Screams and sounds of choking exploded in her ears- it was like she was standing in the middle of this strange and different world. The people were being eaten by black creatures with black eyes- no personality to them at all. Some had limbs missing, but they were still trying to kill each other.

A booming voice echoed in Zelda's ears- the people all looked around for the source. But standing in front of Zelda was a black creature on his hands and feet- baring his teeth. It was wearing a green hat and brown boots, but otherwise was entirely black.

_Dark Link? _Zelda thought.

She held up a sturdy gloved hand, but before she could do anything else, it charged at her and his teeth shot into her neck.


	3. Chapter 3

**I reread my chapters after I publish them, and then I look at my reviews. This might sound mushy, but it gives me the encouragement to continue. So you know the drill… Review!!!**

* * *

**(Midna's POV) **All was quiet for a moment. She could hear her own breathing, and it was so silent it seemed to echo. Link came up behind her and helped her keep the lounge chair against the door.

A loud bang indented the door, and made Midna jump. Link moved closer to her to silently say it was alright- that he'd protect her. Midna got the message and nodded. Another bang made Midna start to sweat from the strength she needed to keep the chair against the door.

Link started to slide, but he kept walking closer towards Midna and not moved his arms. "Midna, I'm going to open the door," Link said calmly.

_"What?! Are you cr—?"_

"Listen to me, Midna," Link said over her voice. Midna quieted down, and pressed harder when another bang made the chair hit Midna on the forhead.

"I'm going to open the door, and when I do, I'm going to fire arrows and you're going to fire magic, understand?"

"Bu—"

"I won't be able to fire right when I open the door, so you might be on your own. Your magic is more powerful than my arrows."

Another bang made the door creak.

Midna nodded, and Link stepped closer to her and squeezed her tightly, not wanting to take Midna's focus off of the door. "I will not let anything happen to you." Link kissed the side of Midna's neck gently, then let go and grabbed the door knob. "I need you to stand back. I'm going to rip the door open and hopefully move the lounge chair, okay?"

Midna nodded.

"When I tell you to, get back, and get back far so you have a little time. They'll come for me first because I'm closest."

A look of worry crossed Midna's eyes, but she had no time to argue.

"Ready?"

Midna nodded. Link ran to the doorknob and put his hand around it. He tried not to shake, but it was hard.

_"Move!" _Link yelled, and Midna did as she was told. In the same second, Link ripped the door open and three monsters charged in. Midna shot a ball of magic right at the second one, and Link did a back flip and missed a bite by inches. He then got a monster square in the eye with an arrow. It fell down, but picked itself up again and seemed to do no damage. Midna shot it with magic and it fell to the ground and started twitching. She then shot another one at it, and it lay on the ground, unmoving.

The last one was the little girl that Midna had rescued. Link showed no mercy and threw a bomb at it, now realizing he had some. It fell to the ground, but picked itself up again. He let an arrow go, but it hit its arm and just went all the way through. It was up to Midna.

She raised a shaking arm at the girl, tears forming in her eyes. It started at Midna, but she murmured an apology and blasted the girl right in the face. Link told Midna to look away. She did, but she saw out of the corner of her eye Link taking out his sword and thrusting it through the little monster's chest. Link shut the door and put the lounge chair up against it again, and then leaned against it.

"I want to know where these rats came from," Midna demanded, after clearing up her eyes a little bit. Her voice sounded a little nasally from the tears.

"The Open Twilight, like the woman said," Link responded.

"I'm going there."

"I don't blame you."

"You're not?"

"Of course I am. But how?"

Midna didn't think of it- she was just going to jump. But that was, like Link was about to say, suicidal.

"I miss Hyrule's resources," Midna muttered. "We could've brought a bunch of potions and then jumped."

"Let's not think about what we can't do."

Midna looked down. It seemed there wasn't any bright side to this other than death.

"Zant must have caused this! I swear it! He's the only one that I think would do this…" Midna broke off in thought.

"You do realize that this could just be a disease, right?"

"Where do they _come _from?!"

Link shrugged, and looked out the window. "It must be the darkest day of the year," he said thoughtfully.

"No kidding."

"We have to do something," Link said, looking at Midna.

"We have to get to the Open Twilight! But those monsters will follow us down there, I know they will. We would need a brave distraction."

"I could do that," Link said with raised eyebrows.

"You're funny. Now, who is the most loyal guard I know…?"

"I'm not kidding, Midna. I would sacrifice myself for our people."

"I don't care- you're not doing that."

Midna looked at the spot where her faux mirror had hung- it was slightly darker in the area. She missed it- she missed looking into it and seeing the beautiful Triforce appear on her forhead- and how the circles seemed to frame her face… Where could it have gone? It seemed to her that the smallest of things had the biggest impact on her.

Link continued to stare at her, and Midna could feel it. His eyes were daggers, invisibly puncturing her face without pain. Midna cringed though, but didn't turn to look at him. Instead, she looked out her bedroom window and stared at the destruction of her doomed kingdom. She probably wouldn't make it out alive. Most horror story characters don't.

She watched a poor pregnant woman run desperately away from a zombie-woman, hopelessly clutching her extended belly. Midna looked away when the zombie got close.

"Midna," Link paused while the woman screamed, and they both cringed. Tears came to Midna's eyes, but Link wiped them away with his thumb.

"I will be that distraction."

_"NO! I will not let you do that!" _

"Sometimes you have to sacrifice something for the good of everyone else."

"And you won't be that sacrifice!"

Link sighed. He wasn't done with this conversation, that much Midna could tell. And for as long as she'd known him, when he was under his control, he listened. But now he's not. He has as much authority as she does and she was afraid that he might win.

Midna turned back to the window, but once she saw another poor child turned into a zombie, she turned away. It wasn't worth the mental torture.

"We should make an escape sooner or later," Midna said after a silence.

"I agree. Question is, how do we make it there alive?"

Midna shook her head. "I don't know."

"I say we wing it."

"You mean, don't come up with a plan?"

"No."

"So, run out of here and jump over the edge of the Open Twilight?" Midna said in disbelief.

Link looked the other direction. He probably didn't think of that.

"We can't stay cooped up in here. We won't be able to sleep, and we can't eat. What's the plan; eat those gross things in the trench?" Midna asked him.

"They only give power, not fill hunger."

Midna sighed, exasperated. "I need to sleep."

"You sleep then. I'll take a watch. But I will wake you up if I sense something coming."

"How can you sense something coming?"

"I feel the need to stop it."

Midna smiled for the first time in a long time. "Stupid courage of yours," and laid down on her bed. Link laid down next to her.

"No good night hug?" Link joked. They awkwardly hugged and Link got up and stood by the window. Midna looked at him as the sky got darker and watched his face disappear in the darkness.

"Good night," Link whispered so quietly.

"Night," Midna responded quietly, and felt Link look at her. She turned over and faced the empty side of her bed. Turning from Link to the empty side of the bed several times, she eventually sighed and closed her eyes. She felt safe and protected with Link there; like there was a barrier that evil couldn't touch. Like the master sword made those zombies unable to get in here. It made Midna feel so much better, and soon she fell asleep.

**********************************

Midna had many nightmares that night, despite her thoughts about feeling safe. She had one about the Twilight Realm collapsing and it being overrun by zombies, one about an opening to Hyrule and the possessed Twili getting to it, and one about her dying because she was bitten.

But the worst one she had, the one that Link woke her up out of because she was crying in her sleep, was the one that she was stuck in the Open Twilight Jail again and was forced to watch several zombies bite Link and watch him writhe in agony, and choke up his own blood. Eventually he stopped shouting and lay on the ground, looking dead. Then he stood up, bloodthirsty, and charged at Midna.

"Midna!" Link yelled and shook her arm. It was hard to tell because the zombie-Link was yelling her name too.

"Wake up!"

Midna's eyes flickered open fast. She gasped, and then caught her breath. She looked around for a bit, and realized that she wasn't in the Open Twilight anymore, like her dream. She was lying in her bed. It was still dark outside.

"You were crying."

Midna sighed. She knew how much he hated it when others cry- so she dried her eyes and stood up. "What time is it?"

"Don't know- your clock was destroyed when the lounge chair was flung."

Midna sighed. It was always the necessary things. "It looks to be early morning," she said after taking a look out the window, "I say we do it now."

"What, make the run for it?"

"Yes."

Link nodded. He knew about the consequences- the inability to get there without Zombies following them. He knew that they might not make it there alive. He knew that they might not make it down there alive. But Link was the one who had been down there conscious for the whole time. He loosely knew the way. Midna didn't- she was knocked out getting there. She woke up, and then was knocked out again. All she remembers was the disgusting taste of the poison slowly moving down her throat making her tongue, lips, throat, all the way down feel nauseous. Her vision was clouded and spinning…

She didn't want to think about it- she'll pass out again. If only Midna could take better care of herself! Then she wouldn't have to have Link come save her, like every other princess.

Well, just Zelda, but you get the point.

"Shall we?" Link asked and opened the door for her. Midna uncertainly took her first step towards the door, and then another, and then another.

Walking out into the corridor of the palace made Midna think she was just walking out of her life.

* * *

**Oh- P.S- That wasn't Dark Link in the last chapter. It was really Link. But I can't dwell too much on that topic- I'm not going to reveal my plotline, or it won't be any fun to read, right?  
Uh... _is _it fun to read? I don't want to be lying here. Lying is bad.  
But yes, Dark Link _will _be in the story. Later on. Much, much later on. When Link dies- I mean- (I'm kidding. Really, I am. I just finished saying lying is bad!)  
Or was I really lying? o.O**

**Keep at it!  
WOO!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So I personally think this chapter isn't all that bad. But tell me what **_**you **_**think, okay? **

Zelda paced her hallway, legs wobbling slightly, tapping her fingers against her dress. She couldn't leave- the castle had been placed on lockdown because Zelda was worried something was happening.

"_I _know _something is wrong!" Zelda cried to the head of the Hylian Army. _

"_We'll place the castle on lockdown immediately. Armed guards will protect it from all sides, as well as Castle Town."_

"_But I need to find out what's going on!"_

"_I'm sorry, milady, but because of your prophetic visions and your ability to sense things, you and the King will be protected at all costs."_

It was technically Zelda's fault she was stuck here, worried about her kingdom and if Ganondorf was somehow resurrected… It all frightened her. For she knew, that when Ganondorf was ready, he'd attack. And she'd surrender. And she'd die. She knew that much. Because of this, she wasn't afraid of death. It stood lingering at the end of her lifetime, waiting to welcome her into its open arms, but that was when she was ready. Now, being only a young twenty-nine, she was not going to die. Not when, in an upcoming crisis, her people need her. The King might not manage on his own. No one really could. Link had the help of Midna. The Hero of Time was said to have help from a fairy. Two, in fact.

But that wasn't what she was nervous about- it was the fact that there was a problem, and she wasn't fixing it. She wanted to get out of here as fast as possible, to see if the heavens were alright… to see if…

If the Twilight Realm was alright…

Zelda's eyes shot open. _The Twilight Realm! Of course, that's why I couldn't find out where the trouble was! I can't get to it! _

_And maybe that's why the Wisdom and the Courage triangles in the Triforce were glowing- Link must be in trouble!!!_

Zelda shot up the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her. She tripped twice, and once she lost her shoe, but she kept going and into the upstairs tea room. Darion was sitting on one of the plush sofas, drinking his milk with a cookie.

"Darion!"

He stood up when Zelda entered. "Good afternoon, Zelda," he greeted, and then sat back down.

"I know where the problem lies," Zelda said without hesitation. Darion looked up from his cookie with hard eyes. "Where?"

"The Twilight Realm."

Darion didn't doubt her, no matter how much he wanted to. "And you're sure."

"Yes."

The King put his snack down and stood up. "Let's go then."

"It's impossible to get there," Zelda sighed.

Darion looked at her, and sat back down again. "I beg your pardon?"

"Midna shattered the mirror that allows you to get there."

"Sorry, who's Midna again?"

"The Pri- I mean, Queen of Twilight."

"And… what is this mirror?"

Zelda groaned. "I can't explain this all to you now. I need to find a way to contact Midna or Link."

"They're in a different realm entirely," Darion clarified. Zelda just sadly stared at her husband.

"How are we going to get there then," he asked, looking at his cookie with disgust.

"I don't know."

"Then Zelda," Darion began annoyed, but Zelda cut him off.

"Those people are in _danger, _and you're just going to sit around?"

"We can't get to them, Zelda, so just cut it out and thank the Goddesses we're not them."

Zelda's eyes stared at him, and her mouth dropped open. "How can you _say _that! We need to help them! As allies, it's our duty to—"

Darion stood up and walked closer to her. Zelda had to look up to see him.

"To help them," Zelda finished.

"I am the King, and I say no."

"I am the Queen with the most experience with the Twili, the most knowledge and wisdom, for that matter, and I say—"

_Smack!_

Darion had slapped her hard across the face, turning her cheek red. Zelda's eyes flared and studied her husband, while rubbing her cheek. She was silent.

"You will do as I say."

She said nothing.

"You will forget all about this," Darion said with a weird glare in his eyes.

Zelda's eyes opened, a look of understanding crossed her face. Her mind was sent into a deep abyss, and all that was left was a strange tingling feeling that made her head pound.

"You will forget this," Darion repeated.

"I will forget this…" Zelda said, her voice seemed to trail off at the end.

"You will forget Link and Midna or any crises."

"Midna, Link, and the crises do not exist…"

A maid walked by her room as she was saying that, and a look of alarm crossed her face. The King smiled pleasantly at the woman, who kept walking, but suspicious.

"You will obey my every command."

"Yes, Sire."

"You will resign your power to me and just be at my side as Queen."

"Yes, Sire."

"And if you see Midna or Link or the Twili, you will tell me at once."

"Y-yes, Sire." Zelda seemed to be waking up out of her hypnotism, and stammered at the fact that she must tell someone.

Her mind and body felt strangely at peace. She knew about everything, but didn't seem to care. When Darion stopped talking, Zelda's familiar beautiful blue tint appeared in her eyes and she stared at her husband with awe and admiration.

_Since when was his hair so silky? That beautiful jet black hair… and the olive color skin that seemed to be getting tanner by the minute- he is too beautiful for me…_

Zelda hugged her husband, unaware she had basically just given up her rule on the country, her dignity, and was forced to remain silent.

"Now, where were we…?" Zelda asked, pulling Darion closer. He smiled as their lips met, and as the kiss got stronger and more vigorous. One kiss led to another, that led to something else more romantic, and soon Zelda and Darion were completely immersed in each other, Zelda smiling about what was happening to her, and Darion, laughing silently at Zelda's upcoming fate, and the victory he has won over her.

_The land shall be mine, and my master will have his wishes fulfilled, even beyond his death, _Darion thought.

****************************************

Midna and Link dashed out the hallway, and dodged several monsters. Midna thankfully didn't trip, so she and Link rushed out at the same pace and speed as each other. They held each other's hands and jumped over the edge of the cliff. Midna screamed and Link didn't let go of her hand. There was no fairy, no potion, no recovery should they die. This was just an act of desperation.

Some zombies followed them into the Open Twilight. The bright cloud got brighter as they fell, then darker when they past it. Link looked back up at the ledge to see where they had jumped- it was a few feet off of where Zelda lowered him not so carefully into it. Would they land farther away, or would it really matter? They weren't quite sure what they were looking for anyway.

Eventually Midna's voice got tired and stopped yelling- they were still falling though.

_Geez, _Link thought, _this trench seems a whole lot deeper than the other one…_

Midna, however, was concerned about other things. Like how there seemed to be a lack of air. Like how she was concerned this was a bottomless abyss- that they would be falling until the lack of oxygen suffocates them.

Midna looked over at her husband and tried to be closer to him. It was not so successful, so she gripped his hand tightly. He squeezed her hand back.

"It'll be okay," he murmured.

"With you around, I know that's true."

Link smiled, then looked down into the tacit darkness. Midna looked at his hair- it had grown significantly darker. It seemed to be turning into a red-black color. It worried Midna, but didn't have enough time to think about it too much.

Out of the corner of her eye, she had sworn she saw something move. She glanced down over the darkness, half hoping something would appear, half hoping something wouldn't, and then the falling stopped. It seemed as if an extremely soft cushion caught them- it was invisible, but outlined in a glowing red line. Midna touched it- the line went over and around her finger, feeling like soft velvet. She couldn't see a thing, except for a red light in the distance.

Link reached behind his neck and prepared to take out his sword and shield- then realized… it wasn't there! He gasped, and Midna turned to see the red magic that lifted them onto their feet carrying it away.

"Hey!" Link called loudly, but not budging. The weaponry went to the red light, and fell a little beneath it.

"Funny. I have one just like it," a deep, spine-chilling voice came from the direction of the light.

The light picked up the items and stepped closer. The lights split into two, and a silhouette appeared. Link's focus temporarily went to his mind- he was having some major déjà vu. But his focus became half on the figure, and half on Midna.

"I believe we have not been properly introduced," the figure said. Nobody said anything.

"Well then, I will begin," the figure said casually. "I am the dark side of you, Link. In simplier terms, you may call me Dark Link."

Link's eyes flared. "Oh, so you do remember me?" Dark Link asked him. "In your day dream Lanayru forced into your mind? Annoying, how those puny guardians of light put pictures in your head."

Midna knew what he was talking about- that image of a thousand Ilia's with daggers turning on Link, but Link became on the same side as Dark Link and killed them all…

Link shuddered, and Midna closed her mouth firmly.

"Well. We have one more person to introduce. And what is your name, Miss?"

"You don't _dare _touch her!" Link yelled, stepping in front of Midna.

"I always liked a challenge," Dark Link said playfully, and his sihlouette vanished into the air. Midna recognized it- she turned around and there he was, standing there. "You know as much magic as I do," Midna said with her eyes narrowed, thankful for an even match.

"Oh no, dear, I know much more than a measly trick," Dark Link muttered, sounding offended. "No, I can make people die without touching them. I can make them writhe, struggle, and plead for mercy if I felt like it. Or I could be nice to them, and make it quick and painless."

Midna and Link had their eyes narrowed, but wanting more to hear before battle to prepare their minds.

"Or, I could make it fun. I could let the people kill one another and save me time. All I need is to start it. Which I did, and I am truly sorry you escaped from it."

Midna exploded. "_You _started this mess!"

Dark Link turned to her. "_Thank you, _Captain Obvious. Now while we're explaining the obvious truth, can we say that you're married? Yes? No? That's what I thought. You look happily married."

Link stepped in front of Midna again.

"Let's see you become a widow, Mrs. Obvious!" and lunged for Link.

Midna, without thinking, fired a blast to get Link out of the way. Dark Link, disoriented, was tripped by his own momentum. Midna rushed over to Link and soothed his wounds with unknown magic. Her hands glowed green, and the bruise that was about to ensue became Link's natural color skin again.

Link looked up at her, feeling great. "Thanks, Midna. Whatever you did, it helped."

"Thank me later. Your shadow isn't dead yet."

Dark Link picked himself up, and started laughing. "Does there seem something is wrong with that sentence? Is it truly possible to kill a shadow, of another?"

Midna's head soon was swirling, and Zelda's voice whispered in her head.

"_Light and shadow are two sides of the same coin… One cannot exist without the other."_

When Zelda's sentence was finished, Midna turned around to Link in alarm. Link was standing up, holding his head. He must have heard her voice too.

"You know what that means?" Dark Link asked them both, his voice making Midna clench her teeth, not wanting to know the truth.

"While you live, foolish traitor of light, I will always breathe on."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

**How was it? Was it worse than I thought it would be, or… could it possibly be better than my thoughts? **

**Could it have been better? **

**Well, of course it could have been better. **

**As a favorite author of mine says, "Reviews are welcome, flames are worthless." **

**But well rounded criticism is always appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

**WOO!! Wow, I already have the title of the sequel of Soulless. Wanna hear it? Well sorry; you gotta wait about seventeen chapters more! =D **

**Keep on reviewing, please! **

**Hey, I even said please! Now you **_**have **_**to review! **

**HA! Whatcha going to do about it? Review? **

**That's a good idea, I recommend you do it. **

**R&R!**

Zelda walked hand in hand down the steps with Darion, the people standing when they were exposed to public. The eager people wanting news about Zelda's frantic lockdown politely ambushed her with questions. They actually raised their hands. Darion knew all of their questions would be the same.

Zelda called on the person closest to her, and the man smiled brightly and the rest of the people sat down.

"What was the cause for the lockdown?" the man asked.

Zelda looked confused. "What lockdown?"

Now the people turned to look at her, and everybody else was confused. Afraid she would go on to say more, Darion cut in. "It was a practice lockdown- in case something was to happen. Sorry for the scare."

The man nodded and sat back down. Once another person stood up, a look of uncertainty crossed his eyes.

"Queen Zelda, what can you tell us about the skeleton dogs rising up out of the ground at nighttime on Hyrule Field? If you're not on horseback or carriage, you can get seriously hurt."

"Skeleton dogs? I'm not aware of any skeleton dogs. I will alert the Guard immediately."

The woman nodded and sat.

Questions rambled on, some about the same thing, some about things not even Darion could answer, but one stuck out. A child stood up, accompanied by his parent. The boy spoke softly. "W-who is G-Ganondorf?"

Zelda's face became confused. Before she could answer, Darion cut in. "Someone you don't want to meet, okay?"

"But who is he?"

Darion didn't really know. All he knew was that he tried to take over Hyrule and failed because of the Hero whom he never seen before in his life. Sometimes he wondered if the whole thing was a myth.

"He is a man who tried to scare away the light from the world and bring in darkness. It was a hard time."

The boy was satisfied, and mumbled an incoherent "oh." He sat back down, and his mother patted him on his arm. He leaned against her.

This went on for awhile, and eventually every last little question was answered, and the two royals sat together on the beige velvet sofa.

"Who is Ganondorf?" Zelda asked.

"Nobody. He doesn't exist- it's just a myth."

"Why'd you lie to the little boy?"

"I didn't lie, you just don't remember."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I should pay attention more."

Darion smiled. Behind the mask of that smile was something truly sinister, a smirk that would scare away the toughest fighter. It was the smirk when the enemy was about to perish. He had learned it personally from his master. His master, whom he had not even seen his face, but trembled in the deep, cruel voice- as if the voice is what killed and not the blade.

But that blade was sealed away now, along with the corpse of the evil maniac, into the secretive depths of the Sacred Realm. He'll never know anything more about it than what he already knows- his only reference is basically mute.

But Darion's instructions was simple- find and destroy the boy. The Chosen Hero. As long as he lives, evil can't enter the world. But the thing standing in his way is the broken mirror, and he doesn't know any way to repair it.

If he doesn't carry out Ganondorf's wishes, he knew that, when he was sent to the Sacred Realm should he fail, Ganondorf would be furious and never speak to him again. It was an honor to be serving the King, and he won't let this opportunity of fame go to waste. Whether it was fame or infamy, he didn't care. His name would go down in history as the person who destroyed the great Hero of Light, and the Princess of Destiny. He, the king of Hyrule for the time being, would amaze the kingdom in shock and awe… and also in fear. He would not give mercy, or an easy out.

And the one thing that Darion will never even think about doing is fail.

**(Midna's POV) **"Then you would be dead too!" Midna yelled at Dark Link. "If you killed Link, you would be dead too!"

"Stupid Queen, you may be living the rich life, but what am I? Nothing. I'm not included on any party lists. So what value does my life hold? Again, nothing. So who would care?"

"Maybe someone would care," Midna rambled, looking nervously back at Link, who was trying to get a grip on himself.

"Don't try and butter me up for your life, because I don't give a damn about it." Dark Link said bluntly, preparing his stance for a fight. He unsheathed his sword and shield and glared at Midna.

"But hey, why bother kill Link, when I could torture him?" Dark Link sneered, moving lightning fast and getting Midna in a head grip under his arm. Midna gasped, and Link's eyes went wide. He charged into Dark Link, who let go of Midna to defend himself. She shot a blast at Dark Link, hoping to stun him long enough to leave.

Dark Link flew back in retaliation from the blast, and Link yelped. "Midna, please, don't fire anything painful at him, because it's painful for me too!" Link pleaded. Midna gave a guilty glance at him, and then started looking for ways back up to the Twilight Realm. This obviously wasn't the best choice. She found the Redmer that Link was talking about, and it brought up many engrossing memories. She shuddered at the thought, and shuddered at the clang of swords behind her. But something shiny caught her eyes. She looked around- hardly any light coming from the Twilight Realm shone down here- only the cruel light from Dark Link's eyes. But it was enough. She hurried over to it, and picked it up. She yelped- it was sharp and broke skin. She dropped it and rubbed away the blood on her finger, and this time laid her hand very gently on top of the item before enclosing her hand loosely around it.

It was a shard of something- with a tiny golden crack on it. Then she looked harder- the crack wasn't golden, it was a design on the shard that the crack happened on. This shard, about the size of her palm, made her eyes fly open. It was part of her replica of the Mirror of Twilight she had lost!

"My… my mirror…"

Her wide eyes became sad. Now both mirrors, whether they are real or fake, are broken and severed the ties entirely to Hyrule. Hot angry tears formed in her eyes, and she clenched them. She clenched them harder as she heard Link yelp.

Link gasped again, and again, and again…

He was losing this fight. _Should I intervene? _Midna thought. She clenched her teeth when Link hit the ground with a hard thud, but she heard him get up again.

Midna started to sob quietly. She knew that if she did break up this fight, it would be bloody and meant sacrificing her life. Link, when she killed herself in order for Link to survive, would have all of the Redmer he needed to recover. Question is, will he be able to chew?

Link yelled again, but only for a short amount of time. Her thinking was up- now was the time to choose. Save her life, or save his life?

Midna got up and threw herself in between Dark Link and Link- and got a deep slice in her arm. She screamed in pain and sunk to her knees- she knew this gave Link time to recover.

"My deed is done," Dark Link said with a cold sense of finality. He walked away. Link, snarling, ran up behind him and did a jump attack, only to be thrown away like waste with one blast of Dark Link's sinister magic.

"Your wife was a brave girl," Dark Link muttered. "Too bad."

Link forced himself to put the disgusting ruby into his mouth, and tried to make Midna have some too. It wouldn't go down her throat. He couldn't crumble it; his sword wouldn't cut through it.

Midna moaned wearily. A sprang of hope raised inside Link's veins. "Midna!"

"Shard…" she mumbled. "Take shard…"

Link fumbled for the shard inside her loose hands, and gasped when he saw the deep cuts from it. Midna was clenching her hands as well and must not have noticed.

"Hurts…"

"I know, Midna, I know. I need you to eat this, okay? Eat it!"

Link forced another Redmer into her mouth, but it just sat on her tongue and nothing happened.

"Chew, Midna!" Link cried desperately, losing hope.

"Take shard," Midna repeated. The Redmer on her tongue made her words sound different but Link knew her all too well.

"What do I do with this?" Link asked fast.

"…Don't… know…"

Link took off his hat and placed it around her shoulder, and ripped his sleeve off and wrapped it carefully around her hand. Red shone through it, but it was holding up alright.

Link scooped Midna into his arms and sprinted towards where she had found it with Midna's ever so less enthusiastic words. He set her down and began fumbling for things he couldn't see. There was absolutely no light, except from the strange light that came through the mirror.

_Mirrors reflect, _Midna thought to herself, wishing desperately she could say it to him. _It's reflecting something!_

Her voice was no where to be found, and Link gasped. Underneath several Redmer were seven shards, each with a crack lining its side. "This is your mirror, Midna!"

_That's what I've been trying to tell you! _

Midna could feel her grip on life becoming less and less firm, and wished Link would hurry up. But she knew it was a selfish wish, that she shouldn't only think of herself, but she didn't want to die here, or now.

"What do I do with this, Midna?"

She couldn't respond.

"Midna! Please say you're alive!"

She didn't have the strength to even moan anymore. _Looks like this is it… _

Link, in furious desperation, put the shards back together like a puzzle. It oddly fit, exactly right. The mirror shone with a brilliant light- enough to make it look like it was day time. Link grabbed Midna's wrist on instinct, and gasped to feel how cold her body was getting.

Midna's replica of the Mirror of Twilight was transporting them somewhere. Link could feel his body dissipating little by little into Twilight squares. He felt the familiar sensation of being gently torn apart.

Midna took in her last, quiet breath and faintly smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow. I really loved you guys' reviews. I laughed out loud when I saw StarlIl's review, became scared when I saw CrimsonDarkness0013's review (don't kill me Raishou!!!!), and got another death threat from Twilight Commando. **

**Love you too, guys. =D **

**Read and review!**

**Aka, R&R!**

**(Link's POV) **Water hit Link faster than he could think. His ears were killing him- his brain couldn't register where he was. He forced his eyes open and swam upward, bringing Midna with him. It was a struggle, but he was managing all right… for now.

_It looks like… the bottom of Lake Hylia! _

With hope, Link kept swimming upward, using the uplifting currents to get him up faster. He knew that he had little breath left and that soon he would be drowning. He kept thinking to himself that Midna was alive, that it was only his imagination that her body was cold, that he couldn't find her pulse, that it was only a horrible reoccurring dream…

The light was becoming brighter; he didn't know whether it was the sun, or the Goddesses beckoning to him… Either of the two was fine with him.

Breath was short now- only a few seconds left. Link kicked with all his might- lightly tossing Midna up into the water above him to get a boost…

_Just a few more yards… keep your head…_

Link was becoming dizzy. He wasn't holding up too well anymore- and if he had known where this would lead he wouldn't have done it at all.

He got on an updraft and that helped him a lot.

_Two more feet to go, at least!_

His hand reached above his hand, desperately clawing for air. His eyes were closed now, but it was the strength of his lungs, and his desire for life for Midna and himself kept him alive.

The Triforce of Courage seemed to be beaming at him, congratulating him. His head reached the surface, and he gasped for air. Swimming as fast as he could to Lanayru's Spring, fearing his legs would give out at any moment, he barely kept his head along with Midna's head above water. Her purple eye shadow was covering her eyes, and they were shut gently. About to give up, his hand reached the side and he pushed Midna onto the lowest ledge. The water encircled her head and made her hair gently wave with it. Her clothes were sticking to her skin. Link hauled himself up and laid down, his chest heaving. He had no desire to move at all. He put Midna's hand in his and squeezed. He knew he had to move to save her life. He forced himself up, and immediately fell to the ground, his legs too wobbly to handle his weight. Grabbing the wall, he heaved himself off of the ground for a second time and leaned against the wall for support.

_You did it, Link. You survived; you pulled through. Now give yourself a pat on the back and help Midna._

Shakily, he got away from the wall and headed towards Midna. Carefully, he scooped Midna up into his arms and leaned against the pole. He looked at her face- the color in it was slowly draining. He then looked up at the blue sky, and prayed for her.

He then walked carefully into Lanayru's Spring and walked up to the ledge and kneeled. He set Midna on the grass- her legs were dangling over the side.

"Lanayru… please help me!" Link begged.

Lanayru poked his head and neck above the water, baring his teeth and showing off his ball of light enclosed in his mouth.

_"O hero chosen by the Gods…" _Lanayru began. _"Set the Twilight Princess in my sacred healing water… and she will hopefully be revived…"_

"You mean you don't know?!" Link yelled at him in desperation.

_"Set the Twilight Princess in my healing water, Link," _Lanayru repeated. Link did as he was told. Midna sank to the bottom of the pond and landed softly on her side in the velvet sand.

_"Love is a curious thing, O Hero…" _

Link looked up at him.

_"It is a too strong of a bond to break by hand or force, but only the two engaged in it may or may not suffer from the bond… But Love can save your life, as you are doing for Queen Midna… My waters are filled with Midna's love as well… She set you in the water when you were attacked many years ago…."_

Link looked down at his wife, sleeping on the pond's floor.

_"It is your love that can save her now…"_

Link turned back to Lanayru.

_"Embrace her in the water with this, young warrior…"_

Lanayru made a tunic that looked exactly like his old Zora Armor. He knew what to do. He put on the blue tunic and covered his mouth and nose with the blue mask and dove into the water. He sank to the bottom and went to his wife.

"Midna… can you hear me?" he asked.

Midna stirred. Link sat on the ground and shook Midna's shoulder. She awoke.

_It worked!!_

Link was then transported to an astral looking realm and stared at his wife. Her cuts were still there, completely open and exposing her flesh, but they weren't bleeding. She stood there and smiled.

"What's going on?" Link asked out loud.

"Nothing, why?"

Link looked around into the mist and white clouds. "Where am I?"

"In between times. Where you met the person who taught you the hidden skills."

"Why are we here?"

"Lanayru transported us here."

"Why?"

"To be alone, and so I could talk to you and vice versa."

"A-are you alive?" Link asked stupidly.

"I don't know yet."

An awkward silence followed. He stepped closer to Midna. Midna put her hand on his cheek. "Do you trust me?" she asked. Link nodded.

Midna smiled, and put her lips on his. Link closed his eyes and embraced her and kissed back. Midna put her arms around him and they stood there, embracing for a moment, until it seemed like Midna was disintegrating. She disappeared into the white mist, and Link was pulled back into the water. His eyes were sad as he swam up to the surface. When he got out, he walked up to the edge of the small peninsula.

Almost inaudibly, he breathed, "Thank you."

Link turned and walked out of the Spring, and Lanayru smiled at his back.

**(Darion's POV) **He had done it- Zelda's mind was completely wiped out of everything she had done to protect her kingdom. All of the important people and noblemen in Castle Town were brainwashed. All that was left was the Hero to take down. Ganondorf wanted him alive, so no fun for him. But his King would be very pleased and impressed with him and his natural skill to hunt. His inconspicuous profile went unnoticed. The Kingdom was his to take over. Smiling proudly upon his throne, he politely at everyone who passed by. A loyal maid walked up to him and curtsied. "How may I help the King?"

"By leaving, thank you."

She curtsied again. "Of course, Sire," and walked out of the hall.

"Such a glorious day, isn't it?" Darion asked a soldier making his rounds a few moments later. The maid looked back once and muttered something that the King didn't hear. It didn't matter to him what she said- she would die soon anyway.

"Sorry, Sire, but it is pouring down rain outside now."

Darion looked out the window. "Oh, so it is. Well, I'm in a very good mood today!"

"That is good to hear, Sire."

"In fact, I think it will be this brilliant tomorrow as well!"

"Sire, it looks like the weather will not clear up for the next few days."

"Rain is the essence of life! Never forget that, my son!"

The soldier smiled. "I will not, your Highness." He bowed and left the room.

"Isn't the day great, Zelda?" Darion asked his wife sitting next to him in a smaller chair.

"Why yes, it is!" she said optimistically.

"I like it how you agree with me all the time," Darion sneered.

"It's your pleasure," Zelda commented with a smile.

_Stupid princess._

Darion got up and called to the soldier again. "Excuse me, warrior?" he called. The soldier looked back in surprise.

"Yes, your Highness?"

"May I ask you where the Hero of Light is?"

"I cannot say, King Darion."

"Why can't you?" he demanded.

The soldier stepped back. "It's not because I am forbidden to say- it is because I don't know. He disappeared a few years ago."

"Ah, unfortunate. Continue with your rounds."

"Yes, Sire."

Darion turned to look at Zelda- she was clutching her stomach and her eyes were watering.

"What's the matter?" Darion asked her.

"I-I don't know! I shall be back in a moment!" she said, and dashed off to the powder room.

Darion was only a small bit concerned- a few years ago she had loved this woman with a searing, burning passion. Then something had changed when he had met Ganondorf. The only emotion that filled him was determination; determination to be the best. To please and be appreciated, for once in his life. To be noticed. He didn't want to be smacked around anymore by his unforgiving parents. His old kingdom was a place that lived in fear, and it was his parent's fault. He never got to live the life a prince should have lived. He never got to be the knight in shining armor that would sweep the land and save it. For that, he was jealous of the Hero, who was talked about quietly in the streets of Dartin, his home kingdom. He and Ganondorf shared a common emotion, which brought them together as allies.

The only common goal that he and Ganondorf shared was to kill the Hero of Light, and for that reason, and that reason alone, his love for Zelda stopped flowing angrily through his veins.

Zelda came back a half an hour later with a huge smile on her face and a maid escorted her.

"So what was wrong, Zelda?"

"You'll never guess!"

"So tell me then!"

"I'm pregnant!"

Darion's mouth dropped open- this wasn't put into the plan. He looked nervously around him. Everyone who heard was grinning.

"Oh… my… Goddesses…"

"Aren't you excited?"

Darion got up on instinct and gave her a big hug. "Of course I am, Zelda! Of course I am."

Darion was a father. But his child will grow up without one. For a split second, he questioned his role in Ganondorf's plot. But then his mind went back to reality; there was no going back. This was his life now. The world was practically laid down at his feet. Darion smiled.

This world wasn't even aware enough to get up.


	7. Chapter 7

**WOW it's been a long time. And I'm sorry for that, just to let you know. Blame Sailor Moon, and my obsession for it because I CAN'T FIND EPISODE 167!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**-Sigh- **

…**Never mind, I found it. In fact… I finished the series. Wow. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I told you Midna wasn't going to die!!!**

**(Link's POV) **Link sat on the edge of Lanayru's spring facing Lake Hylia. The birds chirped happily in the forest all around him and the fluffy white clouds rolled in the bright blue sky overhead. The trees were green, and the temperature was perfectly comfortable. The sound of crashing water from Zora's River tried to make his mind at ease, but it might as well have been a rainy day for him. It was a waste of a beautiful day with his constant worry about Midna. It was pouring when he was deep in Lake Hylia, but it was the end of it and was forced into a drizzle when he surfaced. Everything was clear now, only the smell of a former rain remained.

Footsteps startled Link- he whipped around and had his hand on the Master Sword on instinct.

"Who are you?" a small girl asked him, standing on the bridge. "You don't look like you're from around here."

The girl, of course, was referring to his clothing. Link looked down at it, then back up at her. "No, I'm not. But I've been here for awhile."

"I have to catch a fish for my family's dinner. Could you help me?"

Link smiled. "Sure."

The girl came and sat next to Link and threw her fishing rod into the water. She looked to be about ten years old.

"My mom tells me not to talk to strangers, but I couldn't help myself. I wasn't able to catch a fish, and the old guy over there looks too scary to talk to."

Link looked over in the general direction of the way her head was turned- she was talking about Fyer.

"I agree. At first, I was a little nervous to talk to him."

"Yeah."

Soon her arm was shaking- a fish must have gotten the hook. A look of determination crossed her face as she yanked her arm back.

"Let the fish have some reign if it jumps, okay?" Link told her. She nodded. "Just keep reeling it in… that's right."

The girl got the fish close enough, and Link reached down and grabbed it and put it in her bucket. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" she cried.

Link smiled. "It's no problem."

"Hey wait, you never told me your name!"

"It's Link."

"Link? That's a nice name. Mine's Haylie," she said, and stood up.

"Nice to meet you, Haylie," Link said with a smile.

"Thanks again!" Haylie called over her shoulder as she skipped away, over the bridge, and over a second bridge that Hyrule installed. She climbed up the tall ladder to Hyrule Field and was gone.

It wasn't often that Link got to see young people. It made him feel like he really did save the world- that the human race still exists and he's not on his own island.

_Maybe I'll go see how everyone is doing now that I can. After all, it's been six years. Uli's child can talk now. Ilia, Malo, Talo, Beth and Colin are older now. _

_The effect of passing time…_

Midna won't be okay and able to walk for a couple of days. That gives him opportunity to see people he hasn't seen for awhile.

He followed the girl's passage out, and headed south. He didn't have his horse call anymore- it broke three years ago. Cherished memories were broke along with it. But he didn't think about that now- he just kept walking. By nightfall he got to Ordon Spring, where he cleansed his feet and sores from walking. He put his boots back on again and climbed the ladder into his old, familiar house and took in the scent of trees and pure nature. He climbed onto his hammock and fell fast asleep.

***************************************************

Someone opened his door the next morning. Link looked outside- it was still dark. It must only have been five. They crept about the house, and then Link sat up in his bed and grabbed his sword and shield next to his bed. He always was a light sleeper.

"Who's there?" Link demanded in his most threatening voice.

"Wh-who are you?" the voice asked. It was a masculine voice- and it sounded familiar somehow.

Link came out of the shadows and looked at the boy in his house. He looked to be thirteen or fourteen.

"L-link?!" the boy asked. Link's face turned down.

"Talo?" he asked.

"Link! Oh my god, it can't be true! You're back!" Link hustled down his ladder and gave him a huge hug.

From Link's embrace, Talo called to Malo, who was apparently standing outside. "Malo! Link's back! He's back, Malo! Come in here!!"

Malo barged through the door. "Link?!" He joined his older brother in giving Link hugs and then stood away from him.

"It's been so long, Link! Your hair… it's gotten darker!"

"I haven't noticed."

"You have to come see everybody else, Link," Malo said seriously.

"I will. I promise."

"Good! Now let's go! Now!" Talo said, pulling Link along by his sleeve that wasn't torn. Link ran along behind him, and smiled at the familiar creek running through Ordon Village. He was relived nothing had happened to it.

"Hey! Guess what everybody? Link's back!" Malo called in his loudest voice that was sure to get everybody's attention. The first person that stepped out of his house was Rusl, followed by Uli and Colin and a girl in Uli's arms. All three of them rushed to Link and gave him huge hugs.

"Link! I'm so happy to see you're alive and well! It does my heart well!" Uli exclaimed.

"So you still have that sword that was supposed to go to the Royal Family?" Rusl joked. Link smiled and shook his head no.

But Colin looked up at him in awe, and let a tear glide down his cheek.

"It's really you, Link."

Link smiled and nodded. "It's me."

Colin gave Link a huge hug. "Thank you, Link, for coming back!" Colin sobbed. "Thank you, so much, for seeing us again!"

Link got down on a knee and hugged him tight. "I've missed you guys, so much."

"We have too, my son," Rusl said. Link stood up.

"You've become a fine swordsman in the time I did see you seven years ago. You saved us, for which I am thankful."

"Glad I could be of assistance," Link said with a smile.

"And my god, it's nice to see you smile!" Uli exclaimed. "Oh! I forgot to mention, I had my little one! Right after the world was saved, isn't that interesting? She was born into a world anew… Her name is Syra." **(AN- like "syrup" Syra. Sear-uh. Get it right.)**

"She's adorable. How old is she?"

"Seven," Uli and Link said at the same time.

"Hi," Syra said quietly. She had short, straight blond hair and deep blue eyes. She was wearing a purple skirt with a white shirt and a yellow belt.

"Hello, my name is Link, Syra."

"Hi Link…" she mumbled.

"She's a little shy," Rusl said, "but she talks more."

Syra blushed.

"So Link, guess how old I am now!" Colin gushed.

"Hmm… twenty-four?"

Colin laughed. "No. Try lower."

"Twenty-three?"

"A lot lower, Link!"

"I don't know, how old are you?"

"I'm not a little kid anymore, Link, so stop treating me like one!"

Link smiled and turned to Rusl when he started talking. "It's true- he's becoming a fine swordsman. However, I think you would be a better teacher than I would ever be!" Rusl said with a laugh.

"I'd be glad to," Link said.

"Oh, would you? Thanks, Link! So how old am I?"

"I don't know, how old?"

"_Fourteen!"_

Link chuckled. He was twenty-six years old now. It seemed like forever ago that he was nineteen and was asked to save the world, and if he died something terrible would happen. No pressure.

"Malo's twelve, Beth's sixteen, and I'm fifteen," Talo explained.

Link nodded.

"Still a man of few words, eh?" Fado chuckled and slapped him on the back. "So… met any nice women on your big, amazing journey??" he teased.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Link half-joked, half being serious. How would he explain to everybody he married someone from another realm?

"Aw come on, you must know _someone _who's caught your fancy! There are a million women in Castle Town, and not even one appealed to you?"

"Not one."

Soft footsteps came from behind Rusl. He turned around, and Link peered around Fado's shoulder to see who it was.

"Link?" a soft, familiar voice came.

"Ilia…?"

Fado smiled and gave Link another slap on the back, which he was not prepared for. He jerked forward and nearly fell. The others around him left, the kids very reluctant. They were alone.

"It's… nice to see you again…" Ilia murmured.

"It's good to see you too," Link responded, even quieter.

"I know you've met someone, I can already tell," Ilia started off. Link knew it wouldn't end well. Link didn't respond, so Ilia took the initiative to keep talking.

"It's fine with me."

"Really?" Link blurted out, then regretted it.

"What do you mean, did you think I wouldn't be fine with it?"

Link just began to dig himself a deep hole, hypothetically, and he won't be able to get out if he continues to dig deeper. "I- It's not that, I mean,"

"Okay, nevermind. Anyway… May I see who this woman is?"

Link went cold. "You want to see her?"

"Yes, I do. There's no hiding that you love someone. So who is she? At least tell me her name."

"Midna," Link said without hesitation.

"…That's a pretty name."

"Yes," was all Link could say.

**(Midna's POV) **This realm was cold and uninviting. It seemed like Death would sweep across this realm and reach through Midna's chest to her soul and gently take it out, bringing her to the Goddesses where she would receive her punishment for marrying a light-dweller. However, Midna had no regrets. Love, she thought, should conquer everything, defy law and rule. She didn't find it fair.

_"Midna…"_ a voice whispered to her.

_"Midna…" _

"Who are you?" she tried, but her voice would not work.

_"I can no longer keep you within my waters… If you are to stay, your energy and power will be drained and your life will go with it. You must get out, O Twilight Princess…"_

"Yes, Lanayru, but how?"

_"Believe…"_

What kind of answer is that? Believe… How? Believe in what? Link? Lanayru? The Twili? Her future, her past? That was a pretty broad statement, and would be hard to decipher.

_"In everything… Believe… in everything…"_

Alright, whatever, Midna decided to give it a shot. She still thought she was dreaming, but she started to believe.

"I believe in Link, in life, love, and the distinguishing of right and wrong. I believe in the savior of the Twilight Realm, of Hyrule, of the world. I believe I will get out of here alive…" Midna whispered this and several other things she believed in. She felt herself disintegrating.

_Could it have been that easy? _

Midna appeared on the ledge of Lanayru's Spring.

"Am I alive?" Midna asked.

_"Yes… To answer your next question, Link is in Ordon Village… But you need to listen to me, O Twilight Princess. Your future entails great ordeals, most of which you cannot do alone. The final ordeal, Link will not be able to help you. You decipher that as you wish."_

The Palace of Twilight flashed into her mind for a split-second, but it was enough. It was burning, and all around Midna were people running, screaming, shoving. The image slowly zoomed in on the castle, and a dark silhouette formed inside the fire. Midna automatically assumed Dark Link, but as the image zoomed in, his hat was missing. The figure opened his brilliant blue eyes and mouthed Midna's name. Midna looked down into her arms, and there was Link's green hat, singed and burnt by the escape from the fire.

_"If you do not do something to stop the madness slowly encroaching on this world, then the Chosen Hero of Hyrule that saved it will be no more…"_


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey! Listen! Hey! Hey! Listen! Look! Hey!**

**EXCUSE ME, I'M TALKING TO YOU!**

**Ahem. Anyway, if I get a review about "Link sees his Ordon friends after he battles Ganondorf," well to put it bluntly, you're wrong. See, Link is on Epona, riding DOWN the hill in Faron Woods. Yes, you have to go UP the hill to get to the rickety bridge. He thinks about it, but I guess he decides not to. (That's because he has to go with Midna!!!)**

…**Don't ask me why I did the Navi imitation. I was bored.**

**This is my longest chapter YET, so be prepared!!!!**

**(Link's POV) **Link wandered through Faron Woods with Ilia at his side, catching every detail he had missed on his trip up to Ordon. New trees, new bushes, and how velvety the sand felt in Faron's spring. It was so light and soft, like peace reigned in the world now. He smiled, and Ilia sat down and put her feet in the water. Link sat down beside her.

"Are you going to stay in Ordon now?"

Link wanted to say yes, but he knew it was a stupid idea. "No," he responded quietly.

"Why? There's no more evil to worry about…"

"I won't give up my identity as the Chosen Hero."

Ilia sighed. She knew him all too well that he wasn't kidding. "You'll stay for a little while longer, right?"

Link looked up at the rising sun. "Only until sunset."

"Sunset?! Why so early?"

_"Tell me, do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?" Rusl asked him. "They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs… The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight…" _

Link remembered this memory from so long ago, before this all happened, before the Twilight, Zant, Ganondorf…

Before Midna…

Ilia remained silent for a total of four minutes. Then she spoke up again. "What are you thinking about?"

Link didn't respond, and Ilia sighed heavily.

"I know you're keeping secrets from me, and I can only hope that those secrets are something that is of a matter I do not understand, so there is a reason you won't tell me.

"But I won't lie to you- I have kept my share of secrets over the years. And I really don't want to tell you them, I hope you don't mind. But there is something I want to talk to you about, if you'll be willing to listen."

When Link didn't reply, she kept talking. "I haven't been outside of the woods ever since I came back, fearing that something would happen to me. I know I was only being a coward, because I knew you had saved the world, and that you would be there any time. Regardless of what was true, I never left. I stayed here for the seven years, and I never saw you after that. I didn't understand why you didn't come back. I was waiting for you, yet you must have went the opposite way. There was a terrible hole in my heart, but I could not understand why. I tried to talk to everyone as much as I could, but everyone knew I was suffering. They all tried to convince me to go with Rusl to Castle Town every now and again, but I felt like if I ever saw anyone that caught my… my "fancy," I guess, that I would be betraying you… But to be honest, I was lonely and wanted someone to love me too.

"Now that I look back on my actions seven years ago, it was not that I feared for my life if I left the forest. No, that reason was because I didn't want to see any other men. I solely wanted to see you.

"I… I loved you once…" she murmured so quietly. Not even that could wake Link up from his dream.

"And I know you didn't love me like that… But I was persistent…"

Ilia had no idea Link wasn't hearing any word of this.

"So I… I became… Well, I knew I was annoying. I knew that I overreacted about everything. But… It was a desperate attempt to get your attention before you went on your journey.

"And I know I shouldn't have been that way, because I know I blew it. That's why, well, that's why you're with… somebody else… And that's why I'm here, telling you my feelings of seven years ago, and still of now. I want to let you know that I'm happy you came back- it wasn't like I was denied from seeing you again. So I'm glad you came back. I'm sorry for all that I did that wrecked our friendship… and everything else…"

Two tears glided down Ilia's pure cheeks, and she looked up at Link and smiled. That smile disappeared when he didn't return the favor.

"Link…?" she asked quietly. She shook his shoulder to make sure he was alright.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

"Did you not hear what I just said?!" Ilia asked, her eyes full of betrayal.

"Um…" Link said, trying to remember any part of what speech she gave.

"You didn't, did you! Fine! I don't care, and I'm glad you didn't hear any of that, because a bastard like you doesn't deserve any love! I feel sorry for that Midna of yours!" Ilia cried, tears streaming down her cheeks like rivers now. She started to run deep into the forest, and Link could only stare after her, his eyes filled with pain for having lost such a friend.

He absentmindedly swirled his fingers in the water, sighing. It was still awhile until sunset, when Midna would be okay. Flashes of his years as a child, a real child, when Talo was a baby and Colin, Syra, and Malo weren't born yet, went through his mind. Everything was carefree, and he, Beth, and Ilia would always play together. He would show off quite often, and Rusl would teach him the way of the sword every afternoon from 2-3:30. Ilia and Beth would "Ooh" and "Ahh!" at everything he did, whether it was right or wrong. Rusl would smile and laugh every time Link did something right and was so proud of it. Link missed those days, when he could do anything and make people proud of him. Simply by existing was everyone proud of him. He had lost his entire family, and yet he was still okay. But at night when he was all alone in his little hut was he hurt. Rusl would always come in and tuck him into bed like a father Link never knew, but it wasn't the same.

_If only, Ilia, you knew what it meant to be Hero…_

**(Midna's POV) **_"The Chosen Hero that saved it will be no more"_? What could that mean? The Chosen Hero is Link, so does that mean Link will die?

Millions of questions like these crept in and out of Midna's over-burdened head. Like how Link managed to get up thousands of feet of water without dying, or what entity will capture the life of Link, or why she was still standing here pondering these meaningless questions she wouldn't get answered unless she took some type of action. She prepared to warp to Ordon's spring, but she yelped in pain. She couldn't handle, let alone possess, the power needed to warp from place to place. Sighing, she started to walk and took a new bridge and climbed a new ladder that had not been there seven years ago. She followed the completely familiar path down South.

Nightfall fell before she could get to Ordon. The wolf howled at the moon, and the skeleton dogs came up out of the ground. They growled at her, seeing that she did not look like she was from Hyrule. Kargaroks honked their horns and swooped over her head. She fired a beam of energy at the skeleton dogs, then ran. Her shoulder ached from pumping her arms so hard. The Kargaroks were not swayed by her magic, but they were confused when Midna turned herself into a shadow, remembering an ability she had gained in the world of Light. They honked their horns again, searching for their extra-terrestrial prey. When Midna could bear it no longer, she had to turn into a human again. Being a shadow used too much of the energy she did not have, and she crawled to her destination. With excitement, the Kargaroks honked again and dove towards Midna. She shut her eyes tight and awaited the pain.

…It never came. She was bouncing along behind Link on Epona. He must have scooped her up without Midna realizing it.

Midna sighed as the Kargaroks angrily sped up and hovered over Epona. "I hate being the one who needs to be saved," she muttered.

Link laughed, in the sweet, warm-hearted laugh that Midna never hears, and it made her heart skip one, maybe two beats.

"I'm used to it," he replied, unsheathing his sword carefully.

"If you hit me with that thing, I swear you won't see the light of day any longer," Midna warned.

Link chuckled. "I would never do that, your Highness."

Epona reared at the Kargaroks who suddenly flew in front of her, and Midna clung onto Link for dear life. Startled, Link fell off the horse, and took Midna with him. He did a spin attack and killed the three birds at the same time.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"_I'm _fine; it's you I'm worried about."

"I'm fine. But… why are they here?"

"Who's here?"

"Those birds. They're supposed to be eagles now, by order of Zelda. She changed them all back. Why… why are they attacking again?"

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Let's talk to Zelda now- I want to tell her about the Twilight Realm. We've been here for far too long and have completely lost sight of why we're here."

"…We're here because it was an act of desperation because you wouldn't swallow the disgusting medicine."

"It doesn't matter. Now that we are here, we're going to talk to Zelda. Or I'm going to talk to Zelda. Either way, _one of us is going to talk to Zelda!" _

"Don't worry, don't worry, we'll go talk to Zelda," Link assured her, but something shiny caught his eye. He walked over to it- it was metal and had a blue and red button. He pushed the blue one first and a static noise came up. He flicked it, and the sound of it echoed off of the metal. Midna came up behind him, taking it into her hands.

"What is this thing?" she asked. Something that sounded like an object was being dropped through the static and it turned off. Link shrugged and pushed the red button this time, and a countdown from ten started. Link's eyes grew wide and took it out of Midna's hands, throwing it as far away as possible. It exploded in the air, and they both climbed onto Epona's back.

"I don't believe that was any coincidence…"

"We're going to Hyrule Castle. And I need a drink…"

"Of water?"

"…What else?"

Link shrugged. They would stop by Telma's first and ask around. They parked Epona near the fountain by the South Gate. Link would hardly be recognizable- he looked at his reflection in the fountain- his hair _was _darker. So much, it was almost a brown color. Midna splashed some water on her face and gulped it down. "So refreshing…" she murmured.

"Why is my hair so dark?"

"Maybe it's because it hasn't seen the sun in seven years," Midna responded truthfully.

Link shrugged, then took Midna by the hands and dashed up the stairs. If felt as if their time there was limited, so they ran faster and faster, dodging annoyed people as they shoved them out of their way. Midna gave evil glares to any women whose eye caressed Link's face with awe, and Link shot daggers at any man who whistled at Midna, which was a lot. Finally, finally, _finally, _did they reach the entryway to Hyrule Castle, only to be stopped by some guards. Link took out his sword, and just as the guards were about to fight back, did one of the guards notice the gleaming Triforce on the blade, daring the enemy to puncture the wielder of the sword, to see what would happen to their destiny and future.

"You're…"

"Let me pass- I have important business to discuss with the Princess. You will not breathe a word of this to _anybody, _or my friend here will have a chat with you, and not in the way you perverted creeps are thinking."

The guards seemed upset in a way, but let them pass. Midna clung to Link, feeling uncomfortable as she felt them watch her go by. She walked in front of Link now and opened the first doors. They felt odd that it wasn't raining, in fact, it was quite the opposite. The sun was blazing, almost to make someone sweat, but not quite. They rushed through the second doors without a second thought, and didn't even bother to stop and look at the beautiful courtyard. They barged right through the huge castle doors, blushing when they saw a room full of people turn to look at them.

"Where's Princess Zelda?"

"You mean, Queen Zelda?"

Link and Midna looked at each other. Zelda was married? _Well, it had been seven years…_ Midna thought.

"Yes, Queen Zelda. Where is she?" Midna asked.

Zelda was walking down the stairs when the two had come in, but paused mid-way through her step. The crowd of people turned to look at their Queen.

"May I help you?" she asked innocently, not showing any signs of surprise.

_What an amazing act- it's like she never even met us! _Midna thought. She smiled and nodded to their Queen.

"We need to speak with you in private, if you wouldn't mind," Link said quietly, adjusting to the silence in the room.

"Very well!" she said cheerfully, and walked back up the stairs. She motioned for Link and Midna to follow her.

"Would you like us to come with you, Princess?" two guards asked her.

"They said private, and I will give them their wish," Zelda responded. From the balcony high above, Darion watched the two disappear into a hallway, and the King turned back into the room he had come from and followed them.

"What can I help you with?" Zelda asked, sitting down and folding her hands over her lap.

"Zelda, we need help! Some disease has overtaken the Twilight Realm, turning them into cannibals!"

"I'm sorry, but I am Queen Zelda to you. And, if you would be so kind, what is the… the Twilight Realm?"

Midna stared at her, and motioned with her hands to her dark body and blazing hair. "Me! I'm from the Twilight Realm! Remember Zant and Ganondorf, the ones who tried to kill you?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about…" she said quietly, now becoming nervous and confused.

"I'm _Midna! _The imp? The _Queen of the Twilight?!" _

"She's been brainwashed," Link murmured in horror.

"That's right," a dark voice came from around the corner, and Darion revealed himself. Link's eyes narrowed and unsheathed the Master Sword. "You brainwashed Zelda!" he cried, preparing to attack him.

"Hey! Put your sword _down!" _Zelda shouted, "Or I will be forced to throw you out of here!"

Link may be King of the Twilight Realm, but he was in Hyrule, being forced to obey Hylian rules and law. This meant he had to obey his former princess. Reluctantly, he sheathed his sword.

"Good. Now, I don't know who you are, or what status you think you have, but you are no more than a peasant like the rest of them! _Get out of my presence!" _

Link and Midna's eyes widened, and along with Zelda's. She bowed her head. "I'm sorry. That was out of line. It's just… my little one can arouse my temper sometimes!" Zelda said with a laugh. Link and Midna's eyes almost popped out of their head- Zelda was _pregnant?! _

"Zelda, dear, go to bed. You need rest."

"Yes, my sweetest."

Darion glared at Midna and Link, when a sudden realization swept over him.

"If you're Midna…" he murmured… "Queen of the Twilight…"

Midna gasped.

"Then _you're the Chosen Hero of Hyrule!"_

**That was my "OH CRAP" moment. **

**You know the drill- review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**The last chapter was… not so great. I'm a little rusty, you know? But don't worry, I'll get better. Yep, I know, that was my own fault, but… yeah.**

**Anyways… I really wanted to say, when Darion was like, OH EM GEE you're the Hero, he be all like, "I… **_**worship you!!!" **_** but I decided not to. It wouldn't go with the story…**

**I SAW DARK LINK AT SCHOOL TODAY!!! More on that AWESOME experience later. For now, read it, then review it!!**

**(Link's POV) **Link snarled, drawing his sword. He knew this guy was weird, from the start- seeing him on the balcony. He had that aura of evil floating about him.

"You tarnished the throne of the Royal Family!" he shouted.

"I'm pretty sure it's still a shining gold," Darion shrugged.

"You're working for Ganondorf, aren't you?" Midna yelled.

"I stay with the strongest side," Darion said simply, which brought memories of King Bublin back to them, whom Link had beaten three times.

"Ganondorf will never be powerful enough to take over Hyrule!" Link said through clenched teeth.

Darion's careless attitude turned to seriousness. "I'll make you eat those words."

"Don't be too sure of yourself!" Link said, preparing to stab him. Darion simply dodged it, now standing a little bit to the left of the Master Sword.

"There will be no fight here. Not yet."

"I'll fight you now!" Link said, and tried the helm splitter. He dodged that too. He was faster than Dark Link.

"You may take every chance, but you will not lay a blow on me."

Link tried three more times and as Darion said, could not touch him.

"I told you. What, do you think your attacks are powerful? Don't get too cocky, Ganondorf will be around. But for now, you'll be dealing with me- the great King of Darkness' favorite subject. Zant was merely a pawn, and a failure at that."

Midna shot a blast at him from behind, but Darion created a force field that absorbed the magic. Link looked at her in confusion- she was furious.

_Saying Zant is a failure made her do that? _Link guessed.

"Don't bother, you petty girl. You're not the one I'm after."

Link stood in a fighting stance, sword and shield at the ready. Darion smirked. "You really do hold the Triforce of Courage, don't you? I'm glad. Because Ganondorf already has the Triforce of Wisdom. Zelda no longer possesses it. This way, he can make the wisest decision, and that is to fire… with fire!"

"Fire?" Midna asked.

"Better hurry…" Darion murmured before vanishing into the sudden darkness. Link immediately grabbed Midna's hand and led her to the door. The people in the hallway were yelling, and Zelda came in to quiet them. She couldn't see what was going on, and Link stood next to her to protect her. She never even realized it.

"Please, citizens, please calm down! It is just a simple task of relighting the candles, nothing more. Don't worry about it."

The people were calm now, almost dead silent. Nothing could be heard in the eerie silence.

"Queen Zelda, I know you don't remember me, but I will do whatever I can to protect you," Link muttered.

"That voice…?"

"It's me, Link. I promise you, whatever happens…"

The candles were relit- all of them at one time. Link snarled at the shadow crawling on the ceiling that lit them. Midna's hand was still in his- it couldn't have been her. It must have been Darion. Did that mean he was of the Twilight? He didn't look like it…

When the lights came back on, the people were all staring at the three people on the balcony. Chunks of their faces were missing, and Zelda gasped. They started walking up the stairs, and Link pulled Zelda and Midna along behind him and ran into the nearest door.

"How did they get here?" Link shouted at Midna who was following along next to him. Zelda was practically dragging behind him.

"I don't know! But it happened recently!" Midna yelled back, with no reason to be yelling, just that Link did it.

"No kidding…" Link muttered. "Are there rats in Hyrule too?!" Link gasped, and looked down at the nearest window. It was clear. Midna nodded at Link, and Link turned to Zelda.

"We're going to have to jump," he said automatically.

"Jump? I'm in a dress, and I'm pregnant!" Zelda complained.

"Oh for the love of…" Midna muttered, then pulled her into her arms and jumped out the window. Link widened his eyes- she was stronger than she looked.

Zelda was screeching all the way down, and Midna refused the urge to slap her. They hit the ground and started running, going Din knows where.

"When Zelda lost the Triforce of wisdom, all her sense was drained…" Link thought aloud to himself. He whipped out his clawshot and hooked it to the tree in front of the window, and when he was close enough let the clawshot let go of the tree. He started to follow Midna and Zelda's figures, and Zelda was running now. He smiled at the way she ran- it was very clumsy. Where if she had the Triforce back, she would have took off her shoes, like a smart person.

Link's hair had grown considerably darker since they came here to Hyrule. When he passed the fountain in Castle Town, he noticed his skin had even grown darker. He didn't have much time to think about it now, so he kept running.

Midna and Zelda turned into Telma's bar, and Link opened the door two minutes later. Zelda was huffing and puffing, and Midna was speed talking to Telma.

"Link!" Telma exclaimed. "How did this happen?"

"No idea. We need to get everyone out of Castle Town- the death army is growing."

Midna's eyes flashed open- this army was work of Ganondorf. But how did he get into the Twilight Realm?

Telma nodded. "I'll warn as much people as I can. You three- get out. Now."

They nodded. "Thank you, Telma. Take care of yourself," Link said.

As they ran out, Zelda muttered, "Who was that?"

They ran out the South gate to where Epona was drinking water. Zelda climbed onto her instantly.

Midna looked at him. As she was about to tell him to get on, Link said, "You get on, Midna. I'll meet you there. They can only walk, anyway."

Midna's brows turned down at the ends, and her eyes said no, but she didn't say a word. She hopped onto Epona's back, and Link nodded at her.

"We'll meet you in the Desert. Epona will be safe, we'll find a place for her," Midna assured him.

"I'll be there before tomorrow morning," Link said, looking up at the sky. The sun was setting.

"You better be," Midna warned, and they took off down the steps, with Midna in the back and steering carefully. Link ran after them, and Zelda looked back several times.

"Bye-bye, what's your face!" she yelled, and Link smiled.

**(Midna's POV) "**_Where is he? It's almost one!" _Midna thought, glancing in the direction of the ladder where Link should be coming. He said he'd be there before morning, but it shouldn't have taken this long. Midna kept glancing from Zelda to Arbiter's Grounds to the Stairway to Hell.

"Hey, where's what's his face?" Zelda asked her innocently.

"His name is Link," Midna muttered through her teeth, "and I don't know."

"Link… What a nice name… Very heroic…"

Midna looked at her with question, but Zelda was in a dream far beyond the reach of this world.

Arbiter's Grounds' pillars seemed to touch the dark blue clouds and it's immense size was intimidating to her. She imagined herself as a criminal, awaiting her descent into the Twilight Realm, better known as the Underworld. She looked up at the moon, which seemed to be smiling at her, and to the stars which blinked at her curiously. She watched the mounds in the sand rise and fall, thankful those monsters could not see her, or she and Zelda would be dead.

"Hey Princess?" Midna asked.

"_Queen," _Zelda corrected her.

"Sorry. Queen?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? I mean, this running can't be good for your baby," Midna thought.

"No, it probably isn't," Zelda agreed, "but you and Link seemed to be worried about something."

"We were. Zelda, I want you to know-"

"Queen Zelda," she corrected again.

"That we were friends before you were brainwashed. Link is the Hero of Light, who saved this world seven years ago, and I assure you he will save it again."

"The Hero of Light…" she whispered. "The Hero chosen by the Gods…"

"Yes, that's Link. That's why he swore to protect you."

"I… I feel like…"

Midna's heart leapt. "You feel like what?" _Please say you know him; please say you know him…_

"Eating…" she murmured.

Midna smacked her head. "You want to think about food when Link isn't here yet?!"

"I'm hungry though…" she muttered.

"Din, I hope I'm never pregnant," Midna said to herself.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing."

After five minutes, Zelda fell asleep. She was beautiful while she slept, Midna couldn't deny it. But she could be such an airhead when she didn't have her Triforce of wisdom.

A dark silhouette appeared at the top of the ladder, and Midna's eyes flew open. "Link!" she exclaimed softly. There was no reply, and the silhouette got to the top of the ladder and pulled himself up.

"Where were you? It took you forever…" she whispered.

Still Link didn't reply. Midna was 100% positive it was Link- the figure had the same hat and his gauntlets glittered in the moonlight.

"Link… Are you…" she breathed.

Link didn't reply. It took Midna a moment to realize that the man's eyes were closed. She took two steps closer to him. After a few seconds, Link opened his eyes to reveal a sinister mix of black and red eyes.

"Hello, Midna dear," Dark Link muttered. His tunic was soaking, and water dripped off of him.

"You," she gasped, and dodged his attack. She fired at him, and he dodged that. Now they were parallel to the edge of the desert. Midna fired another shot at him, then two more. The third shot hit him and he shook off the place she had hit him. She fired a fourth shot, but Dark Link blocked it with his oddly shiny shield, and then the magic she had just used fired back at her. Midna landed on her back and she gasped. _"His shield reflects any attack I throw at him! What is this?" _she thought to herself. She groaned as she got up. Dark Link, however, had a huge sword that wasn't the Master Sword next to her neck. She shied away from it, but Dark Link followed. He attempted to thrust the sword through her abdomen, but she sidestepped to the left. Dark Link shrugged and followed her with the sword's tip pointed at her chest, and eventually she tripped and fell on her back again. Dark Link had the sword next to her neck again.

"Do you like my new sword and shield?" he asked, completely friendly. "This sword's three times stronger than the Master Sword, and this fancy Mirror Shield acts like a force field."

Midna snarled.

"Aren't you the feisty one?"

"Where's Link," Midna demanded.

"Ah, but the better question is, is he even here?"

"What do you mean?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"I think you know." Dark Link looked up. "Oh lovely, the rulers of Light and Shadow are in the same place! This makes things way too easy!"

"You forgot about Link! He's the King of Twilight, did you forget? He has as much say as I do. You'll never take over the Twilight Realm with him alive. And King Darion, the King of Hyrule!" Midna attempted, trying to convince Dark Link that Darion was of the good side, so that he'd kill him.

"Queen Midna, I admire you for you cleverness. However I already know that Darion is working for Ganondorf, so Hyrule is taken care of. Link is dead already; I can show you his body if you don't believe me. And what happiness, Zelda is here too!"

"Link isn't dead!" Midna growled. "Otherwise you'd be dead!"

Dark Link frowned. "Smart girl. It doesn't matter, anyway. He'll be dead soon enough or he will be working for Ganondorf, or worse, for me."

"What have you ever done to be a better villain than Ganondorf?" Midna asked, surprised by her words.

"Defending the evil King?" Dark Link asked, surprised as well.

"No, it's just that at least Ganondorf tried to take over Hyrule, all you've ever done is fight Link."

"And has Ganondorf not fought Link?"

"He has, he failed, but at least he had some plan."

"And you think I have no plan?" Before Midna could answer, Dark Link cut her off. "No matter. You're trying to stall your death. So be it, your death will be slow."

Dark Link made a small cut into the side of Midna's throat, and she cupped it. Dark Link smiled, before falling over by an unseen force, or at least unseen by Midna's eyes.

"You will not harm her!" Link yelled, and Midna smiled. Dark Link growled and threw Link off of him, and smiled again.

"The gang's all here," Dark Link muttered. "What luck."


	10. Chapter 10

**This may seem random now, but you'll get it later on. I HATED the sand temple. Hated it. I hated the stupid bugs that slow you down, and the quicksand. Loved the mini-boss though. And the spinner. But I hated getting to it. **

**This has nothing to do with the story, but I hated the Shadow Temple in OoT. Go Spirit Temple though! Fear my shiny shield! XD And Koume and Kotake! Who couldn't love a boss like that? Kotake winks at you too! I was like "Whoa-oh, this grandma likes me!"**

**Anyway. On with the story!**

**(Zelda's POV) **The dream would not leave her mind. A green clad man spiraled around the other man with the shining, yet somehow sinister blade, and slashed the man with his own sword. The big man growled, and backed up several feet. He put the big sword up and charged at the green clad warrior. The warrior leaped into the air and met the blade with his own sword. Just as the warrior was about to lose, his fists clenched around the sword and shoved back. The big man began to get nervous, and soon he lost. The warrior smirked, and spiraled around him again. The big man blocked the warrior's attack with the blade, and the warrior tried it again. After three more times, the warrior got him. He charged up his sword with the power of the Goddesses and did a jump attack, catching him on the shining wound on his chest. The warrior did a spin attack, and the big man fell to the ground. The warrior took his chance and finished him off.

The big man let out a scream as the pain pierced through his veins. He stood up shakily.

"Do not think this ends here…" the big man muttered. He caught his breath and took one step toward the warrior, who held up his shield. His sword was still caught through the wound in the big man's chest.

"The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!" And with those final words, the big man gasped as he saw Death reach into the man's chest and took his soul away with him, the shell of a former breath billowing in the wind. The warrior took a step closer towards the man, and took the sword out from the corpse. The girl who stood with the warrior bowed her head, as if to pay respects to the dead. The girl wanted desperately to say something to the warrior, a feeling she had hidden deep down inside her, but a bright shining light that sat atop a hill made them climb it. The warrior reached the light before the girl did, but she saw it soon enough. The light was the protectors of Hyrule, and they wanted to call attention to the tall and dark, yet beautiful figure. The warrior smiled greatly and the dark girl smiled back. "What? Am I so beautiful you've no words left?" the dark girl teased and smiled softly.

No words were shared after that, but feelings were emitted. The blond girl could only helplessly watch the two. Her world started to swirl, and soon the warrior and the dark girl vanished. She was left alone. The word seemed to haunt her, and she would do anything to get the word out of her mind.

A different man from a land beyond the borders of Hyrule came into her life, and the word was hidden beneath a cloak of invisibility. However, she knew it was there, she just couldn't see it. A hole was still in her heart. Not even the comfort the man provided for her could fill this hole. She kept this secret, however, because a part of her wanted to love this new man. This man had the deepest brown eyes, and hair that matched the color. He was handsome, and was the perfect prince for this lonely princess. The hole was not filled for seven years.

After seven years, her memory of the warrior and his new queen was gone, but a part of her still longed for him. They came back, and they were both in danger. She was the only one who could save them, but she couldn't. As she painfully witnessed their deaths, a powerful voice spoke to her.

"This could all have been reversed. When you come to the fork in the road, choose the right path…" the voice murmured. An image formed in her mind. There were two roads to choose from. The left and the right. The voice motioned to the right path. The princess, who was now a Queen, did not understand, but she nodded anyway.

**(Midna's POV) **Midna looked over to see Zelda wake up with a start. She bolted upright, and stood up. Zelda, with precise accuracy, fired a blast of light at Dark Link's sword, thus knocking it out of his hands. Midna ran and picked it up. A surge of energy fired her temper, but she restrained clamping the sword down on Dark Link's head, for it would kill Link as well.

"Link, get out of the way," Zelda commanded. Link did so without question.

"Link's shadow, hear my words. You are a criminal of darkness, and is not allowed to touch the holy water in Hyrule. You are banished to the Sacred Realm," Zelda said with a new power in her voice that wasn't there when they left for the desert so many hours ago.

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever, I'm banished, yada yada yada." Dark Link rolled his eyes. A light touched them. "Fire me with all you have, Queeny. I'll accept it gladly."

"As you wish," Zelda murmured, and prepared a seven layer blast of light. Midna's eyes shot open. Dark Link would use the Mirror Shield to send Zelda to the Sacred Realm!

"Don't do it, Zelda, or you'll be in it, not him!"

"Sorry?" she asked, not taking her eyes of Dark Link.

"He has a Mirror Shield- it reflects any—" Dark Link clamped his hand over her mouth.

"You're too smart for your own good, Queen Midna."

Link hit Dark Link with the flat side of the Master Sword to push him away without harm, and stood in front of Midna. "If you hurt her, I swear, I'll kill myself if it means killing you."

"I know that, Link, I can see it in your eyes. They glow with a passion of hatred. I know you will use that hatred against me. Go ahead and do it, my mission is to kill you anyway. It's just more exciting to have a little fun with you."

"No you won't, Link!" Zelda yelled at him. The trio looked at her.

"You possess the Triforce of Courage! You and I are the only people keeping Ganondorf away from Hyrule and the Twilight Realm! If you die, so does the world!"

Midna and Link stared at her. Her memory was back. All she needed was a nap?!

"I—I had a dream about the past, of killing Ganondorf. It brought back my memories. I understand what roles we will play in this scene, and Link, yours is to stay alive."

Link nodded. Without taking his eyes off of Dark Link, walked towards Zelda while pulling Midna along.

"I'm sorry. Prepare yourself," Midna muttered to Link, who looked at her in question. Midna shot a blast at Dark Link, who thankfully was standing close enough to the edge to fall over the side. Link clutched his stomach, but shook it off.

"You okay?" Midna and Zelda asked.

"I hope he lands in the water," Link begged. To calm them down, a reassuring splash was faintly heard.

"Dear Din, I feel faint…" Zelda murmured. Link caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Zelda!" Midna cried. "No, we need you!"

"I know, Midna. The Twilight Realm is in danger. I am just tired, that is all."

Link picked up the Queen. "Sleep then. I'll walk smoothly," Link assured her. Zelda smiled and rested her head against Link's chest. Midna smiled softly at her and Link. "I hope she'll be okay," Midna murmured.

"I know," Link muttered, keeping his eyes locked on his destination. It felt strange to be at his fourth temple again, one he didn't quite care for either. Midna closed her eyes as she felt the remains of the evil that lurked here. It was a slightly weaker feeling than what she had felt when she picked up Dark Link's sword. She remembered it was so heavy she didn't know how he handled it. She opened her eyes again, and started walking up the steps to Arbiter's Grounds. She smiled at the familiar entryway- the whirlpool of sand and the monsters leaping in and out of it.

They walked through that room and went up the stairs where the Poes stole the lights. They were still proudly burning, which allowed them to proceed to where Stallord resided. Zelda stirred and said she could walk now, so Link set her down. She looked at the lack of stairs, and hung her shoulders. "Great. We can't all fit onto the spinner…" she mumbled.

"Can you warp yet, or are you still hurt?" Link asked Midna.

"I—I don't know. My shoulder hasn't fully healed, and I lost some blood…"

"Then don't do it. You'll hurt yourself…" Link tried to say, but Midna wasn't paying attention and grabbed Zelda's arm and disappeared.

"And you don't listen to any word I say, do you," Link muttered.

Midna came back without Zelda, and grasped his arm and they disappeared.

"So we walked all that way for nothing?" Link teased.

"Shut up, that hurt! I didn't have to come back for you, you know!"

"You did anyway, that's all that matters," Link smiled.

Zelda was gaping at the frame of the Mirror of Twilight- it wasn't there. "It was broken! Seven years ago, oh how could we have forgotten?! This is terrible! I feel so stupid!" Zelda turned to Midna and Link with complete suspicion. "How did you get here?"

"My replica of the Mirror of Twilight that sits at the bottom of Lake Hylia" Midna bluntly put.

"You're _kidding _me. Why'd we come here if you remembered the Mirror was broken?!"

Midna and Link looked at each other. "We must have forgotten too," Link muttered, feeling ashamed.

"How could you forget something as important as this?" Zelda put her hands over her face, and when she took them off it, her complexion was calm again. "Warp us to Lake Hylia if you can, Midna," Zelda commanded. She did as she was told, and grabbed the two light beings' hands. They landed on the island they normally do and proceeded down the bridge to Lanayru's spring.

There, sitting on the dry step of the spring's entrance was none other than Link's fishing friend, Haylie, who was gaping at the three.

"Link… Queen Zelda… and… you… special powers…"

Link smiled sympathetically. "Not something you see everyday, is it, Haylie?"

Haylie, with eyes as wide as Zelda's dinner plates, shook her head no.

"I told you, I'm not from around here."

The poor girl nodded her head.

"Did you catch a fish?" Link asked, but Haylie shook her head no.

Zelda impatiently tapped Link's arm, and Midna urged him on. "I have to go, Haylie, I hope you catch a fish!" Link said and the three vanished into Lanayru's spring. Link stepped forward onto the small peninsula while Midna and Zelda watched from behind.

"Your appearance is different, O Hero…" Lanayru began.

"It's from being in the Twilight Realm, I believe. But I have a serious issue to talk to you about. The Twilight Realm is in grave danger."

"I may not be able to be of great assistance with a world where ends do no longer meet, but I will tell you what I can…"

"A disease that turns people into cannibals has raged throughout the Twilight Realm, and now is spreading into Hyrule also. We believe it's a work of Ganondorf and King Darion."

"Yes, your Majesty, you are correct."

"But Lanayru, how could the protectors of Light have let such an evil man like Darion into Hyrule?"

"Darion had not met the veil darkness before he came to Hyrule. He was bathed in it when he heard tales of your great deeds, O Hero, and that glory is something he never came to meet… He wanted to seek you out, but we four Guardians of Light told the man you have passed onto a life of glory, hoping he would assume you were dead."

"He didn't believe I was."

"No, King of Shadow, he did not. Therefore we broke the Mirror of Twilight."

"_You _broke the Mirror of Twilight?!" Midna asked, astonished. "Only the true ruler—"

"Which was you and Link, Queen Midna, I understand that, but we found the power to demolish it." Lanayru turned back to Link. "You want to go back to the Twilight Realm, I understand that. You want to save your kingdom."

Link and Midna nodded simultaneously, and Zelda threw in her lot as well.

"I'm afraid it's not possible," Lanayru said after a short silence.

"Pardon me, but it is possible! There is a portal at the bottom of Lake Hylia, that's how Midna and I got here!"

"We sealed off the entrance when the diseased people surfaced and started their killing spree."

"How could they have survived? That trip from the bottom of Lake Hylia to the surface is too long for their damaged bodies!" Zelda shouted.

"They are no longer living people, Queen Zelda. They do not need oxygen to live."

Zelda stared in horror at the glowing serpent with the ball of light in its mouth. "How do we kill something that is already dead?"

"Destroy the item that created them."

"The rats?" she asked.

"Think deeper, you three…"

They all looked at each other in unison. Lanayru started to fade back into his healing waters. "Ganondorf," they all muttered. With a smile, Lanayru fully sank into the depths of his sanctuary.


	11. Chapter 11

**I want you to know that I DID MY RESEARCH. In Ocarina of Time, when Sheik reveals his/her true identity (however you interpret it), he/she holds up his/her right hand and the Triforce appears and WA-LAA! *gasp* ZELDA IS SHEIK!  
There's this one picture on DeviantART that shows Zelda arm in arm with Sheik and Link is like, "WTF?!"**

**(Link's POV) **Midna narrowed her eyes and the now disappeared Lanayru. "Why are you smirking at us like that?" she asked with suspicion. Zelda took her by the shoulders and scolded her.

"Lanayru wasn't deriding us, Midna, now don't talk like that!"

"No, there was something in his smile, I caught it!"

Lanayru emerged. "She's right, Queen Zelda… However I was not teasing you. I was smiling knowing you were about to endure on a wild goose chase, however you caught my flaw before I could hide it…"

"A wild goose chase? What are you talking about?" Link examined him.

"You were about to let us waste our time doing something that's impossible?!" Midna asked, looking completely betrayed.

"I am sorry, but I cannot allow you passage into the Twilight Realm, and I was hoping I would have time to discuss this with the Goddesses and the other Guardians of Light… I meant no harm."

"Tell us about the goose chase," Link instructed.

"How can you kill one who is no longer living?" Lanayru asked them. Zelda and Midna just stared at him, but Link responded, "You can't."

"My point."

"You mean to say Ganondorf is dead? He's truly dead, no coming back?" Zelda asked with complete confusion.

Lanayru nodded his head.

The three smiled. The former King of Evil was in his place. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief- no more getting kidnapped.

"Then how did he come back again?" Link asked, still not satisfied.

"The Triforce of Power remained in his hand."

Link stared at Lanayru for awhile, contemplating that. What he said was true- Link had watched the Triforce fade from it.

Midna sighed happily- no more Ganondorf. However, being Hylian, Zelda and Link still had questions.

"Who has the Triforce of Power?"

* * *

Dark Link smiled as he pulled himself to the deck in front of the ladder. He may not have the precious Triforce, but he would steal it from whoever had it easily. And then he would slay the Hero of Light and Shadow, not wanting to be lazy and kill himself. He wanted that hero to feel what he had felt when Link became famous, when his shadow was nothing more than a dark resemblance of himself. He would watch with a sadistic grin the lights fade from the Hero's eyes just as his were becoming dark. He would make his wife and the Hylian Queen witness it too, to make them suffer. Dark Link's power had grown visibly within the last week- he had felt it. He loved the feel his sword gave off when he held it- the feel of true power.

He also adored the way King Darion was so blissfully unaware of how powerful he was getting. The Triforce of Power, wherever it may be, will meet its match. _"_My_ history," _Dark Link thought, _"will be carved in my own flesh." _

The old circus man was watching him now with great suspicion. Without taking his eyes off of Fyer, he walked over the bridges towards him. He was much shorter than Dark Link, which made him smirk.

"Hey buddy, wanna take a ride to Fyer and Falbi's Water top land of Fantastication?" he asked with a nervous smile.

"I don't think so," Dark Link muttered, and thrust the dark and intimidating Biggoron's Sword right through Fyer's chest. Dark Link pulled the sword out of the corpse and let the blood drip into the water below, marveling at the silky red ripples it formed. With a gasp, Fyer's knees buckled and he fell to the ground, his eyes staring without seeing at his growing dark horizon. Dark Link walked away feeling nothing… nothing but hatred and ignominy. He felt, however, as if he were in solace, his own bloodstained haven, where he truly belonged. He loved that feeling- the dark aura that loomed around his evil demeanor. The minor problem he faced with now was the escape. He was in a trench with a canon to get him out, but the problem was that he couldn't make the canon move unless someone spun the wheel.

Dark Link suddenly sprouted an idea- bring the man back to life. He walked over to Fyer again, carelessly stepping in his blood, and bit down on the man's flesh. He roared in pain as the fire crept into his nonexistent bloodstream and flowed, causing face and body erosions. He felt nothing as Fyer's eyes rolled back into his head and one hand sink into the watery depths. Dark Link was already scarred for life from his previous incident, so did anything else really matter?

"Make the canon work," Dark Link commanded as he stepped into the makeshift house. The new ghastly, macabre Fyer did as he was told and launched Dark Link to the deck awaiting him at the top of Lake Hylia. From there he stepped out of the circus house and the chicken's eyed him warily. Thinking he would come back here when he got hungry, he walked into Hyrule Field.

"_Beware, you stupid Triforce of Power," _Dark Link thought with an evil grin, _"You can't hide forever." _

* * *

**(Link's POV) **Midna paced the ground of Kakariko Village, a place she had come to know from her and Link's many past experiences there. However, she was not thinking of restoring the light or saving Colin. No, she was thinking about the fact the Guardians of Light nor the Goddesses had any idea of where the evil Triforce of Power was. It was in Ganondorf's hand for so long that his magic possessed the Triforce and turned it wicked. And now somebody unknown had it- what rotten luck!

"Zelda, how come you have no idea who has it? Why isn't your wisdom kicking in?" Midna asked her out of desperation.

Zelda held up her right hand, palm facing her, and closed her eyes. "For the last time, Midna, I do not have the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Then who has that? Why don't the Goddesses know? Do they know, or are you just not telling us?"

"Do not question the Goddesses' actions!" Zelda shouted.

Both tired and weary from the royals fighting, Link walked away from the scene and walked into Renado's sanctuary. Having been there for quite some time, Renado was not surprised. "Fighting again?" he asked. Link moaned and nodded his head, rubbing his temples.

"What, exactly, are they fighting about?"

"It's too complicated to explain," he muttered, not wanting to go into a detailed explanation.

"Is it something you can fix?" Renado asked him, staring deep into Link's eyes.

"At this point, I really don't know. It scares me to think that I cannot fix it, but there is something escalating in the back round that not even the Goddesses know how to fix."

"If the Goddesses do not know how to fix this problem…" Renado began with sheer terror.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it will be figured out."

Renado warily nodded his head and they both listened to the faint yells from the two royals outside.

"Shouldn't you protect them? Queen Zelda shouldn't be left alone in her state…"

"Midna will protect her. Not all females aren't capable of taking care of themselves," Link reminded him. Renado shrugged casually.

"I would still go protect them. After all, they aren't skilled in the art of the sword."

"To put it bluntly, Midna and Zelda are skilled in magic."

If Renado wasn't a gentleman, he would have scoffed at the word and rolled his eyes. However, having the manners he has, he merely nodded his head.

Link, unable to bear the fighting any longer, marched outside and stood in between the two Queens.

"You two are supposed to represent your kingdoms! What are you doing? Disgracing them!" Link yelled at both of them, who shied away from the power in his voice. "I'm sorry if I'm talking louder than you're used to, but if it will get you two to stop fighting, then maybe I'll keep talking like this!"

They both nodded silently.

"Zelda, I'm sorry for upsetting you if I did. It's not good for you to be fired up like that though. Midna, you know that I would never harm you emotionally or physically on purpose. Yelling at you two was just necessary. And it would keep the peace between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm."

"Whatever is left of the Twilight Realm…" Midna mumbled, letting tears fall from her eyes.

Link put two fingers underneath her chin. "Don't talk like that," he said softly, "or everyone will lose hope."

Such a short statement really had an impact on Midna. She nodded, then wiped some more tears away. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"It's okay. But keep your faith! Who would put their faith in a depressed Queen?"

Midna nodded and smiled.

**(Zelda's POV) **It was times like this when Zelda felt lonely again. When Link and Midna were a happily married couple. Even though she had no desire to marry Link any longer, she still had a hole left in her heart from where Link was trapped in the Twilight Realm. She thought that Midna had broken it, and pleaded with an invisible force to bring Link back… She thought if she stared at the slab of rock long enough Link would appear, but knowing better of herself, she walked away. Telling Queen Benevolence of Zelda's failure with Link was hard. She bawled and bawled until she wouldn't retain any more water. The King was especially put down- Link was the town's talk of the time. Now he had disappeared and left Zelda with a broken heart.

She watched them in sadness which started to boil her anger again. But she knew her manners now that Link had yelled at her. She did not talk, but she clenched her fist at Midna's attempt to kiss him. He refused, for some reason, which caused Midna to pout. Link shook his head.

"There's business to be done," he said immediately.

"Later then?"

"Maybe."

Zelda took one deep breath after another- partially to calm the kicking baby inside of her and her temper. It was only a matter of time that her temper would escalate into a fight. She may be a Queen, but it wasn't far off in her future, Zelda believed.

Zelda sighed loudly- a sign that they should be heading back to work, whatever work may be. Their To-Do list was heavy:

-find the Triforce of Power  
-restore it to its natural state  
-find a way to kill these half-dead beings  
-find a way to get into the Twilight Realm  
-and once again, restore peace to Hyrule.

Peace never seems to last for long, Zelda realized. Seven years is not long at all. In fact, that would hardly make the timeline of history. The longest reign of peace was when Ganondorf was sealed long ago, but made his way out and was then killed. Now, a new enemy reigns- none other than her own husband.

If something were in her hands just then, Zelda would have dropped it.

Midna noticed Zelda's change in attitude and eyed her nervously. "What's wrong, Zelda?"

"What if Darion has the Triforce of Power?"


	12. Chapter 12

**So I'm sorry for all you people that hoped Darion **_**didn't **_**have the Triforce of Power (cough a certain person cough) who used the word "cliché" but never fear, IPityYou is here! (Lame…) **

**Anyway, thanks to an idea by a fellow friend of mine, tides shall turn! **

**When? Later. Like, a lot later. Like, seven chapters later. **

**Oh and because this is T rated fiction, it switches to Link's POV right when something's going to happen… =)**

**Read and review!**

**(Darion's POV) **He grinned at the sunset and felt the effects of the Twilight as Ganondorf had told him. How everything loomed in the eerie darkness; how he loved those stories. He would listen like a young boy when his father told him stories when he was younger. Then when something evil possessed him that one day, and his parent's blood was spattered on the wall, and Darion dropped the bloodstained knife…

The Dartinian King shook his head. He had matters to attend to. For example- the voice of Ganondorf in his head.

_"You haven't killed the boy!" _Ganondorf hissed. Darion winced.

"No, I haven't, but it will happen soon—" Darion said aloud.

_"That's what they always say! The time I have given you is not infinite- hurry up! I may not be able to kill you, but I can make your life a living hell! Do as I say, and be quick about it!"_

"Yes, my lord," Darion said sincerely, and Ganondorf vanished.

He sighed. A maid walked up to him. "Are you alright?"

Darion smiled. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Of course, sire."

Darion turned to look out the window. Captivated by something, he stood up and ran to it. Darion stared at the twilight squares in their hypnotic dance as three people emerged from them. Link was leading the way.

_"Still wanna fight, huh?" _Darion thought with a grin.

A few minutes later, the same maid said three people asked for him. One, she saw, possessed a part of the Triforce.

"You have good eyes. Therefore, I do not need you."

The woman stared at him in confusion. "W-what do you mean, Sire?"

"I'm sorry. Let me rephrase that. Your eyes might catch something I don't want you to see. Thank you for the information."

Darion looked into the horrified girl's eyes and with one quick swipe with his dark magic, she was dead. He carelessly stepped over the body and went downstairs. Opening the doors and smiled at his three guests.

"Link! Midna! Oh, and Zelda! Where have you been? I was worried sick. You know it's not very good to run around like that when you're pregnant, right?"

Zelda smacked him square in the face. "I'm not an idiot anymore, Darion."

Darion glared at the three of them. "Today is not the day for a fight. You're too impatient."

"Or maybe you're just weak," Midna muttered, shooting daggers at people walking around.

Darion shot a blast at her- and Midna must have flown five feet back. "Midna!" Zelda yelled, and ran to get her. Link didn't take his eyes of Darion. He clenched his right hand into a fist and put it in Link's face. The Triforce of Power felt the Triforce of Courage, and it reacted appropriately.

"I'm no weakling," he breathed, "and you can't face up to the power of the Great Ganondorf yet! He's not ready!"

"Oh, so it's Ganondorf who's weak!"

Darion shot a blast at him, but Link dodged it and took out his sword and shield. "I'm not afraid of him- I've beaten him before!"

"He's getting stronger!"

"He's dead!"

"If he didn't forbid it, I'd kill you now!" Darion tried uneasily, shaking when he heard Ganondorf practically shriek at him.

_"You're not good enough to kill him now?! You coward! Do it! Kill him!"_

_ "I'm not strong enough…"_ Darion thought.

_"HE CAME TO YOU, AND YET YOU CANNOT KILL HIM?!"_

"Let's leave, Link," Midna said, her voice faltering.

"Zelda, take care of Midna- I have somebody to deal with!"

Midna sighed, and with one furious gasp from Link, she teleported them all away. Darion turned around and headed inside, and was trying to block out the shouts and insults from Ganondorf in his mind.

_"You puny wimp! You invertebrate! You're gutless! You're no use at all! If you think you're such a great king of darkness, why don't you act like one! I did better than this, and let's face it, I failed! You were supposed to bring that evil back after seven long years! You're making it look like heaven, and giving Link easy days! You're nothing but scum! You're too feeble!"_

_ "Please give me a break! I was abused by my parents and sent off into distant and unknown lands, wandering to here! Maybe I wasn't the right person to pick, but I'll please you somehow!"_

_ "Begging will do nothing! Welcome to hell, King Darion of Hyrule!"_

**(Midna's POV) **"Why did you do this?! I was going to kill him, and yet you teleport me away?! Where are we anyway?!" Link shouted at Midna.

"I don't know…" Midna muttered, gazing at their surroundings. They were on a platform with six smaller ones on it. They were covered in dust and grime, but Midna looked closer to see they once had colors on them. Then she looked down- she was standing on one of them. There were seven. Darkness seemed to be falling- literally falling- around them. Every once in a while a streak of red lightning would pass through it. There were purple clouds that sulked in the falling blackness.

"Are we in the Twilight Realm?" Zelda and Midna asked at the same time.

"Why do I feel like I know this place?" Link muttered.

Zelda's skin shone brightly in the darkness. Midna and Link gawked at her as her crown shimmered.

"What's going on?" Link asked, lunging for Zelda's hand when she was taken into the air by an unseen force. Zelda was strangely calm; her eyes were closed as if she were sleeping. Her limbs and her hair reached for the ground, but gave up from the strength at which was pulling Zelda into the air.

"Zelda, wake up!" Midna shouted. She didn't budge.

This was all too sudden- it rendered Link and Midna powerless. For some reason she couldn't explain, she was entranced by Zelda. The darkness that shrouded the two seemed to be closing in on them, and then expanding. Light replaced the darkness. Three people arose from the light. It shone brighter than Midna has ever seen, and was thrown back by the force of it. She landed in the same position when Darion had hit her, and her back was taking too much pain. She shielded her eyes at the oncoming light.

_"Welcome to the Chamber of the Sages, Hero of Time… Princess of Destiny…" _

Midna looked at the people who had spoken in unison. She narrowed her eyes; she wasn't important enough to have her name said?

Zelda woke up now. Something on her hand was shining brightly, and Link's hand reacted the same way when he had met up with Darion. Zelda smiled- the Triforce of Wisdom was hers once again. She looked different now- a lot different. Her hair was a golden blond, and so was Link's. Zelda was wearing a dress similar to the one she was originally wearing, but it was pink, purple, gold, and white. She had two bundles of hair in the front, like always, but her hair wasn't in a braid in the back, that started just below her shoulders. Link was still wearing his usual green attire, but it looked brighter just a little bit. It still was covered in dirt and had the occasional blood stain on it, but he looked different. His eyes were still the blue they had always been, but something about him was… different. Midna didn't realize what or who they were.

He didn't seem to recognize Midna either. He stared at Midna and immediately took out his sword and shield. Zelda glared at her too.

"L-link? Zelda?" She asked as they ventured towards her. Link spun around to the back of her and stabbed at her back. She sunk to all fours. Zelda pulled out a bow and arrow that was given to her from the three people and fired a light arrow at her face. Midna dodged it.

"Fight back," Link muttered.

"Don't you remember me?! I'm your wife, Link!"

"I would never marry such scum," Link grumbled, and leaped into the air and tried to shove the Master Sword, which still was the Master Sword, through Midna's chest. Using her black and orange magic, she halted the sword from entering through her agonized back. She shot her gaze to Zelda who was readying another arrow when she shifted her right hand over to her. Now she was holding the Master Sword and Link's hand, and Zelda. The three people came down and stared at her.

The first had fiery red hair. The second had attractive, wavy blue hair. The third had straight green hair.

_"We are Din, Nayru, and Farore, the Great Goddesses of Hyrule…" _

Midna widened her eyes. She never thought that this would be where the Goddesses reigned. Link never told her enough stories.

_"You who are banished are not allowed here…"_

"You don't understand! Darion, the evil king of Hyrule, was going to kill Link! I transported _Queen_ Zelda and the Hero of _Light and Shadow _away so they wouldn't die! Where are they?!"

_"They are going to finish the deniers of light once and for all."_

Midna turned to the "Hero of Time" and then to the "Princess of Destiny," whose faces told her they were not about to give up.

A sudden realization swept over Midna- the Link and Zelda she knew were in those two bodies trying to attack her, and those two people are Link and Zelda's ancestors!

_"The Chamber of the Sages, you contravening dunce, is a place where the holy Sages who guard the Sacred Realm rest. Look at its state now- it is all thanks to you savage beings of Twilight. You, being the Princess, should know better, and is therefore doomed to the fate of death by the ones you thought you loved."_

Midna knew better than to argue with the Goddesses. "Please; Link is my husband! Let him kill me, but he'll be feeling sorry and angry! He possesses the Triforce of Courage! If he was to die, only Zelda could keep the world from its doom. If she were to die—"

_"We would not allow the Hero of Time to fail, or the Princess of Destiny. Do not say you know that Zelda is married to the evil King of Hyrule. Do not say that the Link you know is not the Hero of Time. We know that- we are not as stupid as you."_

Midna could see there was no changing the minds of the Goddesses. Her death was the only thing that would please them, but she wasn't about to give up that easily. Link and Zelda would hate her for it, and she wasn't about to give someone else besides their Gods someone to blame. However, the Goddesses were granting Link and Zelda more power, and eventually they broke free of her magic's grasp. This only made her fight harder; hopefully knocking some sense into those she loved.

Zelda's light arrow was lodged in between her ribs now. She screamed and heeled over in the pain, looking hopefully at Link's face. A smirk crossed his face. Midna knew that smirk- it was the face of a victor who had won his fight. She looked at Zelda- her face was passive and calm. She was not crying or sobbing like Midna expected her to. She wasn't cursing the Gods like she hoped Zelda would. No, she was calm and staring down her enemy: Midna- the Queen of the only ally Hyrule knows of.

"I understand- I am not welcome in Hyrule!" Midna shouted when she had enough breath. "Kill me now!" she yelled. Her eyes almost rolled back in her head as she yelled when the arrow was being forced through her body- Zelda was kneeling beside her and shoving it in. Blood was not everywhere. She wasn't dead when she saw the arrow appear on the other side of her skin. She kept on screaming though, when the Goddesses faces turned into those who were cursed and Link's head fell onto her lap. It still had that smirk on his face…

_"MIDNA!" _A voice shouted at her, that wasn't the Goddesses. Link was frantically shaking her awake. Other screams and yells were heard as Midna shot awake. It took a second to realize she was in a house. A big house. It was the Hylian Castle. _"How'd I get here…?" _Midna asked herself in her head.

Link ran back to something else Midna couldn't see, and she followed him. He was running towards the sounds of the screaming, where Midna saw Zelda, her stomach completely swelled, and she was enduring pure misery and torture- she was having her evil baby.

Zelda groaned again, and Link looked panicked. "What do I do?!" Link yelled over her screams.

"Get paper towels, napkins, lots of them," Midna instructed, and proceeded to the distressed Zelda. Link came back exactly eleven seconds later with a handful of towels and napkins and tossed them to Midna before leaving the room.

**(Link's POV) **Link felt bad about leaving Midna there to deal with a baby and the Queen of Hyrule in labor. It wasn't right, and he knew it. But he just couldn't stand to be in the same room as Zelda who was having that evil child. He had not forgiven her for marrying him in the first place- anyone else would be better than him. Why couldn't she see that he was evil? From the first time he had smacked her she should have realized what she had done was bad. Then he seduced her when she was a bubblehead. She was at his mercy, and yet she still didn't realize he was in the arms of Ganondorf.

Zelda continued to scream and yell. Soon it was over and a baby was crying. Midna yelled to him, "it's okay to come in now," and he reluctantly stepped into the room which held the Queen and her baby. It took Link to realize that the poor citizens who eat at Hyrule Castle would never know that their Queen gave birth in the kitchen, on top of a table where the servants probably ate.

Zelda was smiling when Midna handed her her baby. She murmured something intelligible to Link's ears, and Midna smiled. Link walked up to Zelda and laid a hand on the side of her face, and she turned to the warmth. She grinned at him before letting her eyes float shut.

"What's his name?" Link asked.

"_Her _name… is Sophie. Princess Sophie of Hyrule."

Link smiled, ignoring Midna's annoyance at him automatically thinking Zelda's child was a boy. "Such a sweet and innocent name."

"May she forever be."

Link took a deep breath, trying to remember the line that every new Hylian royal child receives when they're born. "Destined by the Goddesses," he began, and looked at Midna to continue. Of course she didn't know it.

"…following their blessed path, may the heir of the Hylian throne be forever influenced by the goodness of light beings and be shielded from the darkness of evil."

Midna looked at him, expecting an explanation.

"It's what royalty gets when their born. You're supposed to switch off every phrase." Link told her. Midna nodded.

"I hope the Princess didn't get any influence from Darion," Midna prayed.

"I hope not. Something could go wrong."

"Something would go very wrong," Midna agreed."

They smiled at the Sophie, not daring to touch her or wake her up. Finally, without taking his eyes off of the Princess, Link spoke. "What made you start screaming like that? You terrified me."

Midna looked hesitant. She didn't respond.

"Tell me," Link breathed as he came closer to Midna, embracing her.

"No seductive tone of yours is going to get me to tell. It's just something I don't want to relive."

Link smirked, and something about this smirk made Midna squirm. "What's wrong? You make me feel like I did something."

"In a way, you did…" she uttered under her breath, but Link was close enough to hear it.

"Tell me what happened, and I'll reverse whatever I did."

"It was a dream, Link. It's my imagination."

"Are you awake now?"

"Yes…? Why?"

"Just because," Link answered, and leaned closer to Midna and closed his eyes, kissing her. She kissed back, and in their euphoria, they didn't notice the pair of red eyes staring at them from outside the small, dusty window smirking at the sleeping princess.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Hylians never heard of solar eclipses before, so bear with me. **

**(Dark Link's POV) **The child, the child. It was all Dark Link could think about. In no way did he find the small lady physically attractive- it was what the child could bring him that left him entranced in the beauty. Unlike most newborn children, the girl did not cry. She was abnormal, and Dark Link could only hope she inherited some of Zelda's powers.

How fortunate that Dark Link were to find the child before Darion did. If he did, he would surely sacrifice it to that scum Ganondorf. He found it funny that he and his alter-ego shared common enemies: Ganondorf and themselves.

Clouds, or so he thought, blotted out the sun and made it shady. For a few moments, it was as dark as night. He looked up in awe as the sun performed the moon's phases in sped up time.

He didn't dare take his eyes off the sight, because he knew Link and Midna would come out of the castle to see it. Sure enough, a minute later, they did.

"What's happening?" Midna breathed. Dark Link grinned evilly at his sword as it shone in the darkness. He thought of simply killing Link then and there, but there was the inconvenience of the Queen of Twilight there… Link attacked him, but Dark Link merely put up his sword and blocked it, then shoved him away. Dark Link left the courtyard, and by the time the sun rose again, he was gone.

**(Link's POV) **"What do you think that was?"

"I don't know," Link murmured.

"Do you think it harmed anyone?"

Screams and shouts were being heard in Castle Town, and Link assumed it was a yes. Link followed the way Dark Link had gone, preparing for a fight. He and Darion would surely team up to destroy the Hero of Light and Shadow, wouldn't they? So why did Dark Link leave?

Midna trailed behind him as they ran through the ramps leading to Castle Town. Link abruptly stopped, and Midna ran into him. Every one of the people that ran through the town everyday… was turned dead. They, with their distorted faces and severed limbs, walked towards the only living beings in the whole town. With a gasp, Link recognized Telma, Shad, Ashei, Auru, and what hurt him the most… Rusl. They all had their mouths open and they were groaning, and walking towards the two of Twilight very slowly. Thankfully, there was nothing to stop them from wandering back into the courtyards of Hyrule Castle, but if the two were to move, they would start to run. Zelda and the Princess would be in danger…

"PRINCESS SOPHIE!" He yelled, and then clamped a hand over his mouth to keep him from saying any more. Anything he did say could be used against them later. This was Dark Link's plan, this is why he left! All he needed was a distraction, and the sun's fading was it! Midna understood and sprinted as fast as she could back to the castle, while Link took care of as many of the living dead as he could. He chopped off as many legs as possible, wanting to render them immovable. They still used their arms and torsos to slide them along the ground, not giving up their will to kill. He could practically see Ganondorf grinning at him, in the way he did eight years ago.

His eyes flew open when something warm and wet landed on his left arm, and then the pain came. Without looking, he sliced off whatever caused it, and then was thankful the zombie-like-creatures left him alone. He kneeled, knowing he was badly injured. He knew the pain would come when he looked at it, so he didn't dare look any farther than straight ahead. He turned around to the doors leading to Hyrule Castle, at least knowing Midna, Zelda, and the Princess were safe. It would still be good to check up on them though. He shook his head and stood up, wanting to rid his mind of the images that polluted it. He was only thinking of the danger, never of the safety, and wanted to make sure there was nothing that could hurt his three most beloved women. Well, two and a half.

He brought himself to his feet after much struggling, and then almost fell back down again. He was insanely dizzy, and knew that he had to see what was making him be like this. He expected to see blood dripping from his arm, with a long gash in the center of it, so deep he could see his bone…

No, what he saw surprised him. There was no cut, no gash, not even a drop of blood.

He had teeth marks.

**(Midna's POV) **Midna sighed in relief when she reached the castle perfectly contented. The birds were chirping their endless song, happy the light has returned. Midna hoped that would never happen ever again, even when she wasn't alive to see it.

She ran inside and used the map from her memory to guide her to the kitchen, where Zelda was still asleep. Midna picked up the Princess and used her magic to lift Zelda off of the table and into a nearby chair. She then gently put the Princess back with her mother.

Not too many features were shown in the child, except that she was absolutely beautiful. The little Princess, from what she recalled, had the brightest blue eyes, contrary to Darion's dark ones. She did have a muscular build… well, as muscular as you get with a little child. Midna sat on the arm of the chair and sighed. She hoped Link's battle was going to be okay. As much as she needed to help him, she couldn't leave the knocked out Queen and the vulnerable Princess unattended. She was probably going to be the little Princess' guard when she was grown up, because Midna knew there was no way she was getting back to the Twilight Realm. She desperately wanted to see her people; she wanted to know they were okay… But alas, it wasn't possible. The stupid Guardians of Light made it so that the only portal was impossible to get into. Let alone the fact it was at the bottom of a lake. And it led to the bottom of the open Twilight, where not even the Sols light could reach. Midna sighed. She would be here for a long, long time.

A knock on the window startled Midna. She jumped up and glared at the person in the window. Dark Link smiled and waved, and then disappeared behind the wall. Midna growled. She understood his plan now. Get rid of Link, and then come for the Princess. All she needed to do now was outsmart him.

Midna grabbed Zelda's hand and then held onto the Princess as she teleported away. She didn't know where to go at first, but Ordon Spring seemed like a good start.

She set Zelda down in the grass, but carried the Princess. She left the spring and turned right, and used her magic to cut the line of the bridge. The bridge fell away from her and dangled from what rope was left. The zombies couldn't reach them here, so the Queen and the Princess was safe. She picked up Zelda with her magic and ran into the village. Uli stared at her, but walked up to her.

"The… the Queen of Hyrule…"

"She's alive. This is her child. Please, Uli, please take care of Zelda, and do not betray my trust."

"H-how do you know me? What are you?"

"I traveled with Link during his journey several years ago. I am his wife: I am the Queen of the Twilight, Queen Midna. Call me Midna. I severed the bridge to Hyrule when I came here, so no one can leave. This may bring disaster, but it will also keep disaster away. I'll explain later. Heal Zelda- she is knocked out from giving birth."

"Do you know where Rusl is?" she asked desperately. A little boy and girl came up to Uli, and the boy held the girl tight. The boy was Colin, much older than he was before. Midna couldn't bear to see the heartbreak that was about to take place. However, as much as she wanted to nod, she nodded her head. The little girl exclaimed happily, but Colin and Uli seemed to understand. Uli nodded her head slowly, unwilling to be tearful in front of her youngest child. Colin hugged his sister enthusiastically, probably hoping he wouldn't have to be the one to tell her what really happened.

"Yes. I will take care of her with all my might."

The little girl went back with her mother, while Colin stayed.

"You know where Link is too." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yes."

"Is he alive?"

Midna slowly shrugged her shoulders.

"He-he talked about you, the last time he visited."

Midna opened her eyes wide. "What did he say?"

"He didn't say much, but I know he has feelings for you. Really strong feelings. I can tell by the way he acted when he said your name. He lied to Fado, saying he didn't see anyone he was interested in. But when I heard him talking to Ilia, I knew otherwise."

Midna stayed quiet, expectant and patient.

"Ilia said that she knew he loved someone, and Link didn't argue. He thought your name was pretty."

Midna blushed.

"And you love him back," Colin stated. Midna nodded.

"I'm his wife."

Colin was taken aback for a moment, then regained his complexion. "Well, that would explain it, wouldn't it?"

Midna laughed, but gently so the Princess wouldn't awake. "Is that yours?" he asked politely, motioning to the baby in Midna's arms.

"Oh no, son, this is the Princess of Hyrule. Meet Princess Sophie."

Colin politely bowed, not knowing anything else to do. Midna laughed. "As her potential guardian for the time being, I say you don't have to bow to her.

"She's going to be really pretty," he said. Midna nodded.

"I wouldn't be surprised. However, I hope she takes after her mom and not her dad."

"What did King Darion do?"

Midna's eyes widened. The Ordonian folks didn't know a thing about what was happening in Hyrule. It was why the Twilight stayed away from them- because they don't live in Hyrule. "I don't like him very much," she said calmly.

"Is he like Ganondorf? The man Link told us about?"

"I certainly hope not." Midna knew Darion was in Ganondorf's army. She knew he was merely being used as a puppet, and so did he, probably. His job was to turn Link against us, or kill him. I knew that he would rather die than face up to Zelda and I. But if the evil magic was that powerful, I knew it would be my job to kill him.

" _But… if I go insane and turn into something… evil… will you do what's… necessary?" Midna knew what he was asking. That if Link went mad, he wanted her to kill him. She pictured it- herself diving a knife into his chest… watching the light fade out of his eyes as they glaze over, his skin turning cold and his movements grow faint… Midna shuddered._

"_No. I couldn't do that to you. Not a chance."_

Midna groaned. She knew, that even after seven, maybe it was turning eight now, that she couldn't do it. She wouldn't be able to kill him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just… picturing the worst," she said honestly.

"What's the worst?"

Midna looked at him, finding sorrow and a lack of hope in his eyes. Midna was about to speak, because this boy deserved the truth, when the baby started crying.

"Oh god, don't tell me you're hungry… That's not my job…!" Midna cried into the sky. Colin blushed and laughed.

"Maybe we can wake up Queen Zelda," he suggested. Midna nodded and walked to Uli's house. He closed his eyes as he began walking up the dirt path to his house. Midna knew he was depressed about losing his dad, but there was nothing Midna could have done about it. She felt guilty thinking this, but the Princess is more important than Rusl, although he, of a lot of people, deserved to be saved.

Midna's eye caught a blond girl, who she knew had to be Ilia. Ilia walked up to Midna and walked by her side.

"Hi, Midna!" she said with unexpected enthusiasm. Her expression went from happy, to confused, to nervous. "Where's Link… and who's that?"

"Link is in Castle Town, fighting, and this is Princess Sophie of _Hyrule. _I'm going back to Link as soon as I know the Princess has been taken care of, and is in hands I can trust with my life."

"You can trust me, Midna," Uli promised. "I would never shake my trust with royalty."

Ilia, of course, probably assumed Uli was talking about Sophie. "What happened to Link?"

Midna sighed. "Link is in castle town fighting," she repeated.

"You told me that. What happened to Link, in the time I haven't seen him? You, the person he loves, should know more than anything."

Midna almost watched Ilia's heart sink as she said this. She handed the Princess to Uli, who nodded back, and then took Ilia's arm and wandered to Ordon Spring.

"The bridge has been cut!" Ilia exclaimed.

"I cut it. The things Link has been fighting were going to come to Ordon too, and I won't have the people Link loves too be killed."

"You said you were going to see him, how are you going to get there?"

"I'll show you, because I think if Link sees you, it will give him some inspiration to keep fighting. He has been for a while."

"…You think so…?"

"I know so. He talks about you constantly," Midna lied.

"What does he say?"

Midna shook her head. "Do you want to see him or not?"

Ilia nodded, with a look of determination. "Let's go." She grabbed Midna's arm after she had been instructed to do so, and then they disappeared into a cloud of Twilight, and appeared at the entrance to Castle Town. After wordlessly agreeing not to run, Midna went first. Ilia was put on lookout, to make sure nothing she, meaning Ilia, hadn't seen before. Of course, she hadn't seen any of this before, but she knew she was looking for strange things, things out of place. When a Deku Baba jumped out at her and tried to bite her, she yelped. Midna shot a beam of Twilight at it, and it made a shrieking noise as it fell to the ground. She blasted a beam at the doors to Castle Town, leaving a huge hole in them. They were open already, but she wanted to direct the attention to them, giving Link a breather.

One scream was heard, one distorted, watery scream. It could only have come from a being of the dead. They continued to walk closer to the being, when it made itself visible at the door. When it saw the two, it collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. It screamed again, and Midna's brows furrowed, as did Ilia's. Something… wasn't right here.

They started to jog, and then into an all out sprint.

_"LINK!!!"_


	14. Chapter 14

**VELCOME TO THE CHAPTER 14!  
**

**(…ILIA'S POV?!) **_Oh my gosh. Link; that was him!_ Midna and Ilia dashed across the bridge over to him, where he moaned. He had his left hand on the wall, and he was on one knee. The knee soon gave out and he sunk to the ground, using his sword for temporary support.

"Get away…" he mumbled, and neither of them moved. Instead, Midna grabbed his arm and Ilia grabbed Midna's arm, and she transported them to Kakariko. From there, she called out Renado and motioned to Link, who had passed out. His golden brown hair was moving gently in the water.

"Queen Midna!" he said, and then Ilia's eyes opened wide, but said nothing. "Link! Is… he okay?!"

"I don't think so. He must have been badly injured in battle. Can you help him?"

Renado looked at his sad state, and then his eyes almost bulged out of his head. Link's teeth marks on his left arm screamed at him to get away. He shook his head no.

_"Please!" _Midna cried. Renado shook his head no. _"Why not?! He is the Hero chosen by the Goddesses, who saved your sorry butt! The least you can do is help him!"_

"He has been bitten by the living dead," he said quietly.

Midna and Ilia turned their attention to Link, and they saw it too. The marks had cut way into his skin, leaving scars that would last forever.

"Is there any way you can fix him?" Ilia begged. Renado said no almost inaudibly.

"Please… he's my best and only true friend…"

"He's my _husband! _He's the Twilight _King! _There _must _be a way you can save him!"

Ilia stared at Midna. It explained why she was a Queen, but Link? A King?! Her best friend was the king of the most feared people in Ordon. _Great- this sure is a relationship booster. _

"Please… before it's too late… I- I can't afford to lose him again," Midna murmured quietly.

_So this is how it should be. Midna loves him; Link is getting darker and darker skin every day. I don't know what that means, but he is looking more like her. Maybe this is how fate decided, me on the sidelines and Midna up front. Maybe… Maybe what I've been doing my past life was a wasted effort. _

_The conclusion: Link loves Midna. And I won't interfere with that. _

_But… do I get a happy ending?_

"I can't do anything, and the more time he spends in Kakariko gives the venom time to pollute his bloodstream with dire intentions. I cannot let this happen. Either you kill him, or you let me kill him."

_"Get away from him!" _Ilia yelled. Midna was unfazed by her sudden outburst. _"If you're going to kill him, then what good will you do?"_

Renado began to speak, probably going to defend himself, when Ilia kept talking. _"He's my __best__ friend, and if you're going to do anything to him, __I'll kill YOU!" _

Midna raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed.

"The army is growing! If you let this happen, Zelda will be the next target! And she just had a baby, so how will she protect herself?"

"She and her Princess are perfectly safe," Midna said quietly.

"What barrier will not allow the dark ones to penetrate that safety?"

"I won't say! If you turn into a dark one too, you'll know where they are!" Ilia yelled. Midna nodded her head, as if to say, "good one."

"I like how you don't trust anyone. And that's fine with me. But I cannot cure Link. I don't have the right ingredients."

"What ingredients do you need? We'll find them for you!" Midna pleaded.

Renado narrowed his eyes at her. "I'll need remedial mushrooms, salutary leaves, and therapeutic flowers that give off a special scent."

"What do they all look like?" the two asked similar questions.

"The mushroom has a white stem, a red top, and blue polka dots on top of the red. The leaves come from a large plant with two leaves on it. The leaves have a dark red stripe in the center. The flowers put people to sleep if you smell too much at one time, so be careful. But I'll need you to bring back as many as you can. For now, I'm going to keep Link in the basement, and seal it up."

"That might speed up his transformation!"

"But this way he won't be able to kill me easily."

"Where are they located?"

"Lanayru, Faron, or Eldin province. I'll look around Kakariko and Death Mountain, you check the fields."

"Yes sir," Ilia said automatically, and gripped Midna's arm. "Where are we going first?"

"Faron. Then Lanayru, and finally back to Eldin," Midna responded. Ilia nodded.

"Where should we check first?"

"I would say split up, but you can't defend yourself," Midna said, almost bitterly. "Faron woods."

They warped to South Faron Woods, and began to scope out the area. After giving the fairies fluttering around above the pond a quick hello, Ilia began to search.

**(Midna's POV) **Ilia began to wander off after a while, and it took some quiet scolding from Midna to keep her back again. They searched everywhere- under rocks, in between plants, in tall grasses, and there was nothing. Midna glanced up at the sun- it was still morning. She'd give them until night, and then she knew Link was killed.

Finally she grabbed Ilia's arm and dragged her to the spot across from Coro's campfire. She was relieved to find the statue that reacts to the Dominion Rod was still there, and prayed her ability to jump high was still okay. She knew it wasn't, and she knew that it would be worthless to try. Still, it would be better than going through the dark cave with no lantern.

She tried to climb on the statue, and found it was, of course, too high. Annoyed, she marched back to Coro, and asked him if he had any lanterns left.

Coro whistled. "I don't, actually, but you can borrow mine. Can't turn a blind eye to a pretty girl in need, now can I?"

Ilia smiled. "Thanks, Coro."

"No problem, 'Lia."

Midna stepped into this dark cave, snatching the lantern out of Ilia's hands and lighting the torch on fire. It helped them for another few steps, when Ilia ran into another torch, so Midna lit that. Soon rats came out, and Midna was about to say turn back, when the rats scurried by. These weren't diseased. Relieved, they continued forward, lighting torches as they went.

They came to the area with the poisonous gas, and stopped to look around. Ilia, amazed, went to walk through the gas, not aware of the fact it was poisonous. Midna grabbed her shoulder and held her back.

"That gas renders you unconscious."

"Oh," Ilia murmured. "You think it's the same gas Mr. Renado was talking about?"

Midna's eyes grew wide. "You know, it's possible! Look for flowers!" Midna checked the sun. Late morning.

Ilia smelled one flower at a time, and realized her idea was right- these were the right flowers.

"Midnaaaaa….!" She yelled while she was yawning. "I… found the flooooowwwers…"

"Then don't smell them anymore! We have to get as many of these as possible and warp back to Kakariko to give these to Renado!"

Ilia nodded, then picked a handful. She had twelve, and was going to drop them all from sleepiness. Midna grabbed a bunch too, and they teleported; Midna was seriously thinking they would end somewhere not intended because of her sudden laziness. They made it to Kakariko, however, and dropped the flowers off at Renado's. He put the flowers in a cup of water and hoped they would last long enough. Midna warped to the Castle Town entrance, knowing this was where danger would lurk. She was on her toes at every minute, while Ilia kept watch for colorful mushrooms and huge leaves. And dead people that were still walking, of course.

They walked all over the field, but they saw no one, and nothing. They saw grass and dirt, but no leaves or mushrooms. Midna began to feel uneasy, but she wasn't about to give up this search. She checked the sun: early afternoon. Only a few hours left. They walked all over this field, probably more than three times, and still saw nothing. All Midna, and probably Ilia too, could think about was Link, and those horrid teeth marks that penetrated his skin.

And then Dark Link. Would he be a dark one too? Would he turn up "dead" because Link will? Or because he's already evil, would he remain the same?

And then Zelda and the Princess. Poor Princess Sophie- she'll have to deal with this when she's old enough. When she turns sixteen, all attention is on her. If this crisis isn't solved, she'll be the next target. Zelda, on the other hand, is already expected to help Hyrule out of this crisis. She's the target currently.

_No. Zelda's safe. You severed the bridge! They can't get across. It's impossible, _Midna assured herself, although she still wasn't too sure. If something ever happened to Zelda, Midna knew it would be all her fault.

Ilia abruptly stopped, and Midna ran into her. Being taller than Ilia, she almost tripped over her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, although the words were blended together and very hard to understand.

"Leaves. The leaves were huge and had a red stripe in them, right?!"

"Yes, but—"

"There they are."

Midna's eyes flashed open—Ilia wasn't kidding. There, growing out of the dirt in some shade, were huge leaves. Midna and Ilia picked a bunch up and warped back to Kakariko. The sun said it was between early and late afternoon.

Renado took the leaves eagerly and mashed them up with a rock that he had boiled from heating water over a flame.

Midna and Ilia remembered they had one more herb to find, so Midna warped them to Eldin, thinking that the last must be here. Midna told Ilia to go one way so they'd cover more ground. By the looks of the sun, they weren't going to make it if they went together. Midna didn't stray far from Ilia so she could help when needed, but far enough that she could search for mushrooms faster. Midna kept her eyes shifting from Ilia to the ground, but after fifteen minutes of nothing happening, she completely directed her attention to the ground. _"How rare are these mushrooms?" _she asked herself after a while. Of course, no mushroom appeared and solved all of her problems.

_If I find one, how does that mean I'll find all of them? Mushrooms don't grow together, do they?_

Midna groaned. There, of course, was nothing. _Of course. _It had been her most used phrase today. She couldn't give up now, because the Hero, the King of the Twilight, and more importantly: her _husband _was counting on these mushrooms.

_MUSHROOM!!! _

Midna snatched the thing off of the ground, searched for any more, and _of course _there wasn't any, and sprinted over to Ilia.

"Let's go," Midna muttered, grabbed her arm, and warped to Kakariko. Renado grinned when he saw the two, then it faded when he saw the puny little mushroom in Midna's clenched hand. Renado opened up Midna's hand gently and took it away. Juices were being forced out of it from the strength of her fingers. He quickly put it in a cup and began to mash the three together.

"Get more," he commanded. Without a second thought, Midna warped Ilia and her back to the Eldin Field and scoped out more mushrooms. This time, Ilia stayed with Midna. The mushrooms grew in shady spots, Midna noticed, so they decided to stay together since shade was pretty rare on this open field.

"I didn't really see what it looked like when you handed it to Renado: how big is it?" Ilia asked.

"Pretty small. About the size of the tip of your middle finger down to the bottom of your palm."

Midna felt the sun on her back. She knew it was sinking into the horizon. But she couldn't bring herself to look at it- hope would certainly fail if day turned into night. She and Ilia, as the sky got darker, were forced onto their hands and knees to feel the ground.

The twilight was becoming dark. Tears started to form behind the two girls' eyelids, but no one showed anything.

Finally, they found the mushrooms as only a portion of the sun was able to be seen. They now had six in their hands, total. Midna warped back to Renado's with Ilia, and threw them into his open arms. He began to mash the ingredients with intense speed, shaking out the flower's pollen. He started to become sleepy, but he shook it off and continued mixing the medicine with his rock. Many times Ilia would try to sneak over to the opening where the basement was supposed to be, but Midna held her back. They would have to relight the candles to get down there anyway, for the statue was blocking the way.

"It's done. Midna- take this." Renado handed her a lighted stick and she nodded, ran up the steps, and jumped gracefully from landing to landing, lighting all of the candles in the process. She remembered being on Link's back as a wolf collecting the insects and smiled. Everything would be better soon.

_Everything will be better soon. Everything will be better soon. Everything… Everything… better…_

Midna lost her train of thought as the statue slid to the right, revealing a deep black hole. Iliapeeked through the hole, but was forced back by Renado.

"Link!" Renado called. "Answer me! Are you okay?"

There was no reply.

"I have some food for you. Take it."

Still, there was nothing. Tension filled the air as Midna and Ilia waited for the one they love and loved most to moan, respond, even scream. Although, the silence was golden. Screaming was terror.

No, no screams were heard. Instead, a bloodcurdling shriek took its place. Renado, on instinct, chucked the medicine down the hole. Midna was still standing on the stairs as the shrieking took place. Ilia raced to join her. Midna protected her like a mother would her child.

Somewhere in that scream was her name, which she took as a plea for help. She and the blond both had tears streaming down their faces, and Renado was in the process of blowing the candles out again. Before he got to the first one, something was being tugged at, and squeaks were being heard. The two girls gasped when they saw Link's green hat appear out of the whole. Link immediately turned to Renado, and scrambled up. With a roar, he swiped at Renado, and then shrieked again. He was not hurt, and he missed Renado. He didn't move, so… did he miss on purpose?

_Are we too late?!_

"LINK!" Ilia cried, and Midna clamped her hand over her mouth. Link turned around.

The green mush that was his medicine covered his face, but no one could overlook the teeth marks on his arm that seemed to be purple, swollen, and gross.

Ilia started panting, and was screaming his name. She knew. Midna knew. Renado knew. Even Link knew.

He couldn't be saved.

* * *

**Didja like it? Hate it? Review it!**

**And this time, can I get a critique? How is the story doing? I know RadiantDawn wants it longer, but is there anything else I can do? Alterations? Changes? Modifications? Variations? Amendments? Revisions? **

**REVIEW!!!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**REVIEW!!!**

* * *

"_Help me," _Link whispered hoarsely. _"Please…"_

"_LINK!!" _Midna cried, but Ilia held her back. Renado rushed in front of the two girls to protect them.

"No, Midna, you can't! It's a trap! He's dead, so forget it!"

"No! He's not dead! I know he isn't!" Midna continued to shove Renado away from her with no success. Link didn't move any closer to the three people. Ilia started to hold Midna back while she was struggling furiously against her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She clenched her fists and felt the wave of electricity rush through her. Ilia screeched and backed away, and Renado was smart to move after he felt the static on the back of his neck.

At first, she didn't move. She and Link stared each other down. While this was happening, she knew time was running short. Carefully and quietly, she took a step closer. Renado was beckoning to her to stop while tending to Ilia's red and burned hands. But Midna kept moving.

"L-Link?" she whispered, barely audible. "I know you're in there- I know the Hero is still in you, Link."

Link just stared into Midna's sunset eyes, while she gazed into his deep blue ones. She took another step closer, but Link took a step back.

"_From afar… help me from…" _was all Link could get out.

"Lick your lips! The medicine is on your face, don't you remember?"

"_Hard…_"

"It's not hard, trust me! Just move your tongue!"

"What I think he means, Midna," Renado began with extreme caution, "is that the medicine has hardened on his face. His tongue is too weak to use its muscles to take it off."

"Then I'll help him," Midna concluded as she took two steps closer to Link.

Link shook his head and opened his mouth to say something, but not a sound came out. He fell to his knees and lifted one hand to his head.

"No! No, Link!" Midna yelled as she rushed forward, not caring what everyone else was saying. Midna took her hand and wiped the medicine off of his face, with a few remaining green spots. Link growled and looked up, and threw her to his side.

Midna clutched her ribs where he had hit her. She had landed inches from Renado's fire. Ilia ran after her and Renado told her to go to the Zora's graveyard, which was the next best thing to the healing waters of Lanayru's spring. Midna, however, refused to go. Out of fear and pain, Ilia rushed to the graveyard.

"Get out of here, your Highness!"

"Call me Midna—it's faster."

"Now is _not _the time for chatting! _Leave! _Heal yourself!"

"You will _leave _me alone, and that's an _order!"_

Renado looked at Link, writhing on pain on the floor. "With all due respect, Midna, your orders don't apply to me here. So get out of the sanctuary and heal yourself!"

_"I'm not leaving Link!"_

_"It's not Link anymore! _His soul has gone to the heavens! A monster has taken over his body; his judgments aren't his anymore!"

Midna let the tears fall down her face. She attempted to stand, only to fall back onto the floor again, clutching her ribs. Renado put his hand on one rib and told Midna to squirm for a second. In that second she had moved, Renado felt a bone out of place.

"Link broke a rib. I'm taking you to the inn, where you'll be safe."

_"Safe? _No where is safe. You can make it so doors can't be opened, but there are windows, walls, doors…"

"What are you talking about?"

"They'll stop at nothing to kill the living, Renado. They'll break down a house for just one of them."

"What do they want?"

"Blood! What do you think?"

Renado looked out the window to his empty town. Barnes had disappeared two weeks ago. He was alone in Kakariko, as the Gorons had fled to their village. "No… I think they want something."

"Then they have it. Link is… Link's…"

"Not dead yet. He's struggling with it. You know him, Midna. He won't go down without a fight."

"There's not much to fight, Renado! What can he do?"

"Hold onto as much sanity as he can, what life he has left."

Midna nodded, knowing that she had done all she could to stop Link's transformation, but she was too late. He had awoken by the time she got back. Even if the medicine didn't harden, it might have been too late. All they could do now was wait.

Midna chuckled at that point. Renado gave her a questionable look. "We're both suffering, Link and I. He's going through physical pain, while I'm taking emotional damage."

Renado sympathetically patted her back. "I won't lie to you and say it's going to be okay, because it isn't. It might, but… it probably won't. He'll probably have scars the rest of his life."

"I know, Renado," Midna whispered, and winced at Link's yelp.

"And I know this is a selfish request but—"

"Anything, Renado."

"I'll need you to get out of Kakariko."

It didn't take long for his request, more like demand, to settle in. Where would they go? Not even Lanayru could heal him now. It would be a wasted effort, considering he's not knocked out. Ordon? No. Not when the Princess was there.

But maybe Zelda could offer up some advice? It always seemed to work in the past.

"Okay. I understand. One last question, Renado."

Renado looked unsure at Link, who was now squirming in agony. Midna moved, then fell down again. "What is it? Tell me while I'm getting some wrap for you."

"What did you mean by the living dead looking for something?"

"Exactly what I said," Renado murmured absentmindedly as he ignored Link's yells and searched frantically for the wrap made out of the same leaves Ilia and Midna were forced to find and some white powder that was taken out from a tree.

"Who, do you think?"

"Queen Zelda?"

"No, they would have found her by now!"

Renado brought Midna the wrap and forced her to raise her shirt just a little bit to cover her ribs with it. She immediately felt the effects of it, and stood up, a little wobbly, and walked over to Link. He gazed up at her slowly, his eyes literally shaking, and closed them again. Midna caught a frown on his face. His eyebrows were turned down at the middle like they always used to be. But the split-second glare he gave to her was the most terrifying thing she had ever seen in her life.

"Thanks for your help, Renado," she said darkly.

"Stay alive."

"I'll do my best," Midna muttered, and warped herself and Link to Ordon spring. Once there, Midna restrained his wrists to the wall and ankles to the ground with her twilight magic, then enclosed an electric force around him. Anyone who touched him would indirectly feel her wrath. She ran, no, _sprinted _as fast as her legs would allow to the village.

"Midna!" Colin welcomed.

"Where's Zelda," Midna demanded.

"In my parent's house. What's wrong?"

"Everything is wrong. The balance of the world is at stake here."

Colin raised his eyebrows, but motioned with his head to Uli's house. Midna dashed up the small hill to find Uli and Zelda having a pleasant conversation.

"Why, your Highness," Uli said with a smile in here voice to Midna, "everything turned out great! The Princess is healthy, and so is her mother!"

Zelda, however, was more observant. "What happened," she said fast. It was a demand.

"Come see for yourself, if you're able to warp."

Zelda nodded and latched onto Midna's arm and they warped to Ordon spring, fearing every second because they all count.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed as she saw him restrained. "Did Dark Link get to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"You mean you haven't noticed? He started all of this!"

Midna then recalled him saying this before she sacrificed herself for Link. This was why she developed such a hatred towards him; not that she hadn't hated him from the rumors that were passed down with the legends of the Hero of Time.

"No, I remember now. But no, Dark Link didn't get to him. Well, I don't know. I didn't see. When did you find it out?"

Zelda simply held up her hand, the Triforce shining, and Midna nodded. "It gives you all the answers, huh," Midna murmured.

"No. Only when I ask the Goddesses for them, and they think the answers are important to Hyrule."

"That's astounding. So what do we do with Link? How can we help him?"

Zelda closed her eyes for a moment and put her hand over the glowing Triforce. She remained pensive for a moment, and then a tear slid down her cheek. "I don't know."

"The Goddesses won't answer?!"

"They're trying to. The message won't reach me."

"Someone's interfering with the Gods?"

Link was mouthing something to Midna and Zelda. They both looked up at Link's pleading eyes.

"I think he's saying 'Ganondorf,'" Zelda exclaimed quietly.

"He's dead," Midna reminded her.

"He's in the Sacred Realm. It's possible he might not be."

"You saw the Triforce of Power fade from his hand, which had to have been the only thing keeping him alive."

"I still think we should look into Link's theory. It's possible he's not far from the truth."

Midna pondered that for a moment, then a light bulb appeared out of her head. Well, not really. "Darion! Maybe he's—"

"No. He may be in Ganondorf's army, but not the head of it."

"And Dark Link said that he hated Ganondorf."

"He did?"

"Yes. But it doesn't matter! We need to help Link!"

Zelda snapped out of her trance as Midna lifted the electric trap. Link was out now. It was only a matter of time.

The Hylian Queen put a hand on her Triforce again and prayed to the Gods, pleading several times over. It was written all over her face. She eventually broke out of her state and sighed hopelessly. "Again, they can't reach me. I don't know what to do. You try. Beg to your Gods."

"We don't worship—"

"The Sols! Anything!"

"Uh, okay…" Midna muttered as she acted like she was doing something. She put her thumbs and her pointer fingers together, leaving the other six straight. It stretched her fingers, but it made her look serene and thoughtful. If Link were conscious, he'd be laughing, and Midna knew it. Zelda, on the other hand, was actually doing something worth while. A gold aura swarmed her hands as she put them on Link's shoulder, hoping to suck the venom out. The scar would indefinitely remain, but at least he would be okay.

"Is it working?" Midna asked quietly.

"I don't think so, but I'm going to continue trying," Zelda responded.

It was then that Midna realized the whole village was standing over them. Colin placed his hand on Midna's shoulder. She looked up at him, but his eyes were entirely focused on Link and his ruined body. He had begun to disfigure already. Parts of his skin were falling off of his body, spilling blood into the water. It didn't have the major healing properties that Lanayru's spring had, but it was doing a good job. The blood turned into water, stopping its flow outside of Link's body.

Midna continuously checked for a heartbeat as Zelda continued her healing process with the light. She felt all eyes on her, Zelda, and Link, as they worked. Midna splashed water on Link's face, hoping it will sustain the features, and prayed Zelda's healing would work. Syra started to get annoyed while the Princess cried, and Uli left. She couldn't leave her kids alone, so she said she hoped all went well very sincerely.

Uli, Midna had noticed, had become the mother of the village. Not just to the Princess and her own kids, but to Fado and the rest of the village. Sera's cat would often be fed by Uli. Whether or not she showed it or not, the loss of Rusl was a hard hit on her.

Midna looked up: as she was thinking of Fado, she realized he was gone. She spoke her mind, and some of the villagers shook their head. He must have left the village to find Rusl, gotten kidnapped, something. But she had severed the bridge. Even if he was alive, he would be trapped in Hyrule.

She hung her head. She was the reason for the death of a Ordonian. _Great. More shame. Just what I need._

She went back to checking Link's heartbeat and put her head against his chest. She smiled as she felt the rise and fall of his chest. Midna was at ease as long as his heartbeat was going. Carefully, she propped herself up on her elbow, letting her body sit in the cold water. She gently rested her head on his chest. Zelda smiled at her, but didn't look up from her work on pulling the venom out. Midna watched her with awe- the glow of the light was absolutely beautiful. It resembled the sky in the Twilight Realm, and made her feel even more at ease, if that was even possible.

_Everything is going to be fine, _Midna assured herself. Link wouldn't die. He couldn't. Not just because he's the Chosen Hero, but because he's gone through so much without Death welcoming him. Sure, he came close, but he didn't. He survived a whole lot longer than everyone expected.

And he's surprised her before. An example being when he fell in love with her, and she returned the favor.

Midna blushed. Zelda smiled, and then it turned into a grin.

"Did you get the venom?"

"I think so! Let me just…"

Zelda began to pull out the venom by moving her hands closer to her, like she was pulling on a rope. The glow of the light still stuck to Link's skin, but also to Zelda's hands. Midna felt the strong urge to touch it, but knew it probably wouldn't be the best thing to do.

Especially when something dark red started to flow through it. Zelda's grin turned to confusion. When the red liquid touched her hands, it quickly covered her white, satin gloves with the murky substance.

"That's not… is that…"

"That's Link's blood," Colin whispered.

It continued to flow. The blood dripped into the water, turning it red. But Ordona tried to turn it into water, although there was just too much.

"What do we do?!" Midna yelled.

"Sand? I don't know! Please, Spirits of Light!" Zelda begged to the sky. "Help me! Guide me! Show me something! Help the Hero of Light and Shadow!"

Midna pressed her ear against Link's chest. She searched frantically for a heartbeat, until she found a pathetic noise inside. It only took a while for that to faint.

A calloused, gray hand covered Midna's vision. She tried to get up, but the grip was too tight.

"Dark Link!" Midna cried out. No one said anything. Zelda didn't confirm her suspicions. Another hand covered Midna's mouth.

A quiet, hoarse, yet eerily familiar voice answered her. And it wasn't Dark Link's. "What are you talking about, Midna dear?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you Marilyn Nelson, a poetry writer, for a few lines from "A Wreath for Emmett Till".**

**A few lines in this refer to **_**Hamlet, **_**so if you don't get something, assume it's that.**

* * *

**(Dark Link's POV) **He paced the floors of Coro's old house, coming up with the perfect plan. It wasn't as if you could just walk up to the man who has complete power over Hyrule and stab him in the neck. No, he had to be stealthy. Otherwise, he might die. More importantly, Link would die.

Not that he thought Link's life was above his own. Just that finding him and capturing him was best, so whatever child he found and raised would grow up to establish Dark Link's dominion over the two dimensions. He would die knowing the world was his. That his name would go down in history as the mere shadow that destroyed Hyrule and the Twilight Realm in one stroke.

Dark Link grinned. He liked the sound of that. His revenge would finally take place. No longer shall Dark Link be disgraced. No longer would he have to put energy into Link's fake shadow. No, he would be the King.

But first, he must assume the role. That means capturing both kings. Darion must die. Link must be captured. Simple as that. But _how?!_

Dark Link sat down on a chair and groaned. _Making plans is _not _easy, _he thought. _Nor is it fun. No, the real fun is the action part._

He sighed and stared at the musty house. He swiped away a cobweb that was strung from the chair he was sitting on and sighed again. _Think, Dark, think! What could make that coward come outside of his castle? An uprising? No, that's too suspicious! Especially when he has that green jerk in his head… _

_…Actually, maybe an uprising would work. Where would the people come from? My army, of course! They would invade Hyrule Castle from every entrance but one, where guards will escort him out… Every single one of his guards, actually. I'll be waiting in the shadows… yes, it's perfect. They can't hit me when I'm in the shadows! _

_Now to think of a time. The Castle is at the north end of the town, so I'd have to do it at either sunrise or sunset. There has to be an east and west entrance. So if I do it at sunrise, we'd leave the west entrance open, and vice-versa with sunset. I'd blend in even more at sunset, considering it's closer to the night than sunrise is. _

_Problem is, what if there is no east or west entrance? Can't do it at just anytime- the shadows wouldn't conceal me. _

_Phase one: research. _

**(Midna's POV) **She struggled against the person's grasp. She couldn't think that this was Link saying the words. And since she was almost positive it wasn't, she charged up some electricity and stood up right when the person released her.

The shock rendered the person unconscious. There was an imposter of Link lying on the ground. The man was wearing the same clothes Link was, but his skin color was fading.

_"NO!" _Zelda cried. "You hurt him! You hurt Link!"

"That can't be Link, it just can't," Midna denied.

"You were _lying on his chest _when he died! Then he turned into _this! _And it's my entire fault; I never should have tried to pull the venom out! I should have known it would have combined with his bloodstream!"

Midna restrained Link's arms and legs again, and again put a protective field around him. The static woke him up, and he began to roar and shout curses at both Midna and Zelda.

Zelda stood up and turned away to hide the tears. Midna on the other hand, was not afraid to show them. She put one hand over an eye and cried, desperately wanting some comfort, but all the other Ordonians had no comfort to share. She began to lose hope. The Hero was lost. The light of the world was lost. All that awaited the Queens now was darkness and death.

Colin fell to his knees with a splash. Midna turned around to find his teeth clenched so tightly that she could almost make out bones in his jaw. He was struggling against tears to no avail. He began to sob, and it broke her heart even more than it already was, if that was possible. She turned back to Link to find his skin was peeling now. He looked like he had gotten a terrible burn. First, his nose. She knew that's all that would show for now, until the disease took control of his legs too. Then blood stains would be visible through his pants.

It killed her to think this was happening. If there was only a way to stop it, to kill it! And then she realized with dead hope that there was: kill him, like Renado told her to do.

She now had put the entire world at risk. Mere townspeople can't cause damage like the Hero can. He has a sword, bombs, arrows, a _wrecking ball…_

Everyone except Zelda and Colin had gone back to the village to mourn. They couldn't take the sight of Link like this. Midna was happy Syra and the Princess didn't have to see it, and Uli too. Although she'll come running when she finds out.

"Uli…" Midna murmurs.

Zelda nods. "It would be terrible to find out this way." She stands up. Midna thinks she's going to stop Uli from coming, but she doesn't. Instead, she walks across the shallow pond to a patch of flowers that had bloomed. She picks two up and puts them next to Link's prison.

Midna raises an eyebrow at her.

"Rosemary for remembrance," she whispers.

Midna chokes on a sob. Zelda had just stated that Link is officially dead, by the rosemary that lays next to the field of electricity. Midna stands up and kicks them into the shock wall, and they die with a sizzle.

"He's not dead! We'll find a way to revive him, and you better believe it!" she yells. Having forgot he was there, Colin also chokes. Zelda turns around and pulls the boy into her embrace. He doesn't care about anything at this point, and treats Zelda like his mother. He cries into her shoulder, and Zelda sighs.

"Midna, face facts. Look at the man! He is not himself anymore. Link's soul has gone to visit the Goddesses."

"He's struggling against the virus! I know he is—he won't go down without a fight! He has braved _and survived _every obstacle in his path!"

"This obstacle may be too big for Epona to jump."

"Epona has nothing to do with this!"

"Midna, there is nothing left!"

"There _is _something left! There's struggle! Resistance! There's—"

"An abyss of darkness," Colin murmured very quietly.

"What?!" Midna asked, infuriated. Wasn't this the boy who said he would always believe in Link, or was that another person?

"I can tell Link's not in there. If he were, he'd be trying. Link's gone." He chokes on the last word, and buries his face into Zelda's shoulder. She gently, motherly, rubs his back, and glares at Midna.

Midna, now about to blow up in Colin and Zelda's faces, picks up a pansy and throws it into Zelda's lap. "Pansies for thought," she mutters, and walks away from the scene.

Colin races by her and runs into his village, sobbing all the way there. Midna sighed behind clenched teeth. _What a dramatic kid. _

A few minutes later, Uli sprints across the ground, barefoot, stumbling on rocks and branches. Midna hears her terrible cry, and knows she either just found Link, or she's dead. Either one of them wouldn't be so surprising.

She continued her march through the narrow pathways that led to Ordon Village. Zelda soon caught up with her, and they silently agreed to see the Princess.

When Princess Sophie caught sight of her mother, she smiled and mumbled some words only a baby can decipher. Then she reached for Midna's head and latched onto it when Zelda let her go. Midna smiled.

"Get off of me, you sack of poop!" she yelled. The Princess just stuck out her bottom lip and looked like she was going to cry.

"Aww," Zelda and Midna sighed simultaneously. Midna hugged her.

"I feel honored that you want to hug me, Princess!"

"Midna, you can simply call her Sophie. Let the innocence of her name reflect her personality."

Midna smiled, stood, and bowed to Zelda. "Thank you, your Queenliness."

Zelda chuckled and bowed back. "Same to you, O Dark One."

Sophie had her mouth open and began to drool all over Midna's arm. They laughed, and then an image of Link ran through her head. Her laugh was cut short, and silenced.

"What's wrong, Midna?" she asked gently and quietly, already knowing her response.

_"Everything," _she murmured.

"You know, you're the one who said Link would be okay. I'm starting to fall for your words, hoping to find they aren't empty."

Midna closed her eyes.

"Stop being so dramatic. Don't turn molehills into mountains."

"But this _is _a mountain we're dealing with! Link's turned into a zombie! Where's the Triforce of Courage going to go when Link gives up his struggle from exhaustion?"

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "To your child, of course," she said with absolute sincerity, and confusion.

"What? I'm not pregnant!"

Zelda smiled. "Not yet, Midna."

Midna blushed. "I-what are you talking about? How do you know? Maybe I want to stay abstinent…"

"Wisdom."

"What's that got anything to do with it?"

"Well, Midna, it's pretty obvious when Link gets better, you'll be… I don't know, _happy, _and—"

_"Enough! _I don't want to hear anymore!"

Zelda giggled. "Embarrassed?"

"What? No! I love Link! But…"

"But what?"

"Well, I just don't think the Goddesses would approve…"

"Midna, the Goddesses are nice people."

"Well, they banished my kind from Hyrule! Would they really like a twili, who was forced to stay in the Twilight Realm, to… well… with a light folk?"

"Just say it, Midna. You want to—"

"Princess Sophie!" Syra yelled. Midna and Zelda quietly gasped. They had completely forgotten Syra was in the room. Syra walked up to Midna and held out her hands wanting to hold the Princess. Zelda shook her head.

"No, it's her nap time now, Syra. You can hold her later."

"Okay Queen Zelda," she groaned, and stomped back to the chair she was sitting in. "So what were you guys talking about?"

"Uh, nothing," Midna said, a little too fast.

"I was _right here. _I'm not a stupid kid, you know."

"Ask your mother, okay? That's something for you and her to talk about together."

"Why does my mom have to say it? Why can't you? You're both girls!"

Midna snuck of the house and walked back to Link. Zelda soon followed, but she had to convince Syra to stay in the house. Zelda rubbed Uli's back, and decided she would go back to Syra, remembering she was alone with the Princess. She gulped one more time and walked away from the spring.

Midna and Zelda watched Link thrash around in his prison. He tried splashing water on it, which only made everything a whole lot worse, he threw a rock at it, but it shattered, singing his left cheek.

When he gave up, the two women gasped. He was breathing hard, and he clenched his fists. Midna swore she made out a silent "no." She watched his eyes as they slid shut. Zelda gasped, but Midna knew he wasn't dead. Link's breathing had calmed down to normal, and he still was limp. Midna then decided to secure his restraints. Seeing Link wince assured her they were tight. Although she felt guilty hurting him, it had to be done.

After all, she didn't mind hurting him a few years ago.

And back then, it was actually _fun._

But what made Midna's heart leap ten times in the same second, was the color that returned to his face.

Midna quickly dispelled the force field and felt his forehead. _Hot. Hotter than normal. Is he okay?_

"Link?" she whispered. "You okay?"

An answering moan escaped Link's lips, and she almost kissed him.

Then she remembered venom still flowed through his veins, and sighed.

"You won't kiss me?" he said hoarsely. Midna stopped breathing and backed away from him.

"I understand. But I'll let you know I don't cough up blood when I kiss you," he said matter of factly.

"You could still change me… and to be honest, I don't want that."

"I don't blame you. Who would? But it runs in my bloodstream, remember? Not in my mouth."

"Not true. They bite you, remember? It's in saliva too."

Link let this realization sink in as he sighed, defeated. He tried to say several things. He opened his mouth, and then shut it again. Finally, he said a miserable "oh." They both remained silent, because what could be said? What good would _I'm sorry _do? _I pity you? _You would only get a depressed _Yeah. Thanks,_ back.

So they both came to the conclusion that silence was golden. That it expressed both of their thoughts far beyond what a simple word could.

"It's hard to leave you," Midna finally said.

"But you should. I could turn into a… a monster any second now."

"But you'll try not to. I know you, Link. I've traveled with you for a year, you lived in the Twilight Realm for seven years, and now… this."

"I didn't have to deal with diseases on my adventure, Midna. I was perfectly healthy."

"That's because the Goddesses were watching you."

"You think they aren't now?"

"Let me rephrase that. They probably didn't think of a disease from the Twilight Realm affecting you, because they never saw it coming."

"What do you—?"

Midna cut him off. "Once they banished the interlopers to the Twilight Realm, they never expected to see or hear of them ever again. Then came me and my needs."

Link chuckled. "At least I have someone to blame."

Midna's grin faded immediately. "I'm sorry, Link."

Link widened his eyes. "You know I was just kidding."

So when Midna started to cry, Link struggled against his chains to comfort her. "No, Midna, please don't cry—I didn't mean it, I swear! Ugh—I'm such an idiot!" he yelled, and threw his head against the dirt wall, earning a few specks of dirt to fall on his head. Midna cleared her eyes out, and mumbled an apology.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for? I should be the one apologizing," Link said earnestly.

"I'm stronger than that. I shouldn't cry."

Link comforted Midna through his eyes. They were deep and understanding. "Strength doesn't always come in handy," Link murmured.

Midna smiled. "Thanks, Link," and gave him a light hug. Link rested his head gently on her shoulder.

**(Dark Link's POV) **_Great, I'm here. Now what? _Dark Link gave himself a face palm. _Shadows, of course! _Thinking he was brilliant, he hugged the wall of the eastern thoroughfare and waited for complete darkness. The new and _trained _guards roamed the empty streets, searching for any signs of life—namely, their Queen and Hyrule's hero.

Dark Link, trying to get out of the shadows, kicked over an empty pail, sending it crashing to the ground. Two guards looked over in his direction, but after scoping out the area, they determined no one was there.

"Where do you think Zelda is?" one of them asked.

"Dunno," the other answered, "but we have a search party looking all over Hyrule. Don't think she would leave the country, do you?"

"Nah. She's strong. She's probably searchin' for the hero."

"Why would she go alone, considering she has a child that's due soon?"

"I have no idea. I think she would have some more sense than that. She's probably up to something."

"What about the King?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's pretty suspicious, not even seeming to be worried about her!"

Dark Link listened closely, grasping onto the wall as hard as he could, but trying to get his ear closer to the conversation.

The first one snorted. "The King's plenty worried; he's just trying to be strong for his nation like a good king should."

Dark Link considered bursting out laughing, but didn't.

"You actually like him?"

"'Course I do. He's a good ruler. Kind and considerate. Never thought them Dartinians could be like that."

"You, being a newbie, would think that," the second muttered.

Dark Link clenched his fists to keep him from groaning. He already _knew _that Darion sucked, could these two _please _get on with information from the castle?

"A dead person was found in his study, did you know?"

"You're thinking that King Darion… killed somebody? Nah. He's not like that."

"Suit yourself," the second said, and continued his rounds.

Dark Link narrowed his eyes. _I _will _get information from these people, whether it's by force or coincidence. _

He continued walking towards the castle and slipped through the cracks of doors. He considered just slipping through the door and checking it out from the inside, but then decided he would be caught easier that way. He slid over walls and around all of these little nooks and crannies without being detected. Dark Link tried the east quarter first, and searched for doors. Even hidden doors would work. He felt along the walls, and finally gave up and changed into his solid form. He walked through the grounds as quietly as he could, which was pretty quiet. Only the slight crunching of grass and gravel could be heard. And when someone was coming, he would change into a shadow.

It was as good as gold.

Well, almost. Although he had hoped for an east entrance, there was none.

_There must be more than one entrance. If there was a fire, people wouldn't be able to get out. More importantly, the royalty wouldn't be able to get out. _

_Ugh—I hate planning. _

* * *

**Alright, the ending wasn't so great. This chapter wasn't so great either. **

**Eh, to be honest, I think I'm losing my edge. Not that I might have actually had one…. **

**Well, what do you think of the chapter? Honestly. Terrible? Sort of okay? Great?? **

**And give me some true feedback, like what I could improve on. It would be great!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**REVIEW!!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**This is going to be ENTIRELY Dark Link's plans. **

**Next chapter will be ENTIRELY Midna, Link, and Zelda stuff. They'll be doing this at the SAME TIME, so… yeah. **

**If that was confusing, when Dark Link is sneaking through the palace in this chapter, Midna and Link could be… I dunno, talking, in the next chapter, yeah? **

**Hah- Ashei moment…**

**Onwards!**

**Three chapters left! Or so I think. Maybe more, but the minimum is three. **

Dark Link slithered through the main courtyard and to the west side of the palace, _praying _that there will be an entrance. Yes, a northern entrance would work fine, but no one would know what hit them if there was an east or west entrance. The sun would rise on the east, casting shadows that face west. He would attack then. He would make his army go for all of the entrances to the castle but one. This way, there would be no fight, and Dark Link would easily take over Hyrule.

His hands closed around something while patting the wall. He smiled, showing bright white teeth that looked almost blinding, compared with his dark demeanor. The doors were slightly larger than average, but not as big as the entrance to the meeting area, or whatever you want to call it. The doors had elaborate designs on them that must have taken hours to create.

Dark Link picked up a stone and rubbed it against the doors, denting the intricate designs. He smiled. It was a scale model of what he was going to do to Castle Town: weaken it, but not destroy it. Why destroy it, anyway? It's filled to the brim with people who will worship an evil king, if forced. Dark Link was just the perfect person to sit on that throne.

_No… I have an even BETTER idea, _he thought. With an evil grin, he began to devise his new plan. The one to take out Darion would be the same, of course, but this new one took major planning. So much, in fact, that killing Darion would have to be delayed. But it could make it so that he could attack at any time. That was as good as gold, he thought. With a sigh, he turned away from his newly found door and focused on warping himself. He lived in the Twilight Realm for a long time- he should know this trick by now.

After a few moments of concentration, he felt his body disappear into tiny squares of Twilight, and concentrated on Kakariko, in Eldin province. He landed in water, to his surprise. He didn't land on his feet either. His whole back was soaked in water. He stood up and tried to wring the water out of his clothing to no avail. He groaned.

A slight tingling in his chest made him turn around to face the village. His eyes raked the area for any signs of life. They came upon a little old man and a little girl standing in a hut to his left. With one navy and blue blast, he shot the old man's face. With a satisfying thud, Dark Link turned back around to see the waterfall.

The statues began to glow with a mysterious light. The water rippled in the middle and light spread across it. Eldin rose from the water, clutching the light.

"Evil being…" it began. Dark Link rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for your long-winded speeches," he muttered in a bored tone, and shot a blast of dark magic at him. Eldin easily dodged it, aggravating Dark Link. He shot blast after blast, but Eldin continued to tease him.

"Fight back, coward!" he grumbled.

"It would be easier for me to let you wear yourself out," Eldin said.

"How dare you?! You think I'm no challenge?"

Eldin shook his head. "You could be a great ordeal. However, you lack the heart."

"What are you saying?! You think I don't fully want to control the land?"

Eldin shook his head no.

Dark Link shot a blast at Eldin. However, it was a defensive blast, so it merely held him. He kept his magic steadfast and concentrated on Eldin. The guardian didn't think much of it, until he saw Dark Link concentrating. He opened his eyes wide as the interloper shot magic up the grip he had on Eldin.

He vanished. The sun turned black. The sky wasn't blue. The grass wasn't green.

It was all black and white. Dark Link widened his eyes at how he fit into the landscape. It was like he could truly be invisible. He walked back to the cottage where the little girl and the old man had been. The old man was knocked out cold against the far wall, crashed beside some stairs, and the girl was frantically trying to feed him some liquid and locate the interloper at the same time. Dark Link, grinning wildly with the power he had discovered, smacked the girl against the stairs and she slid down the wall like a raindrop. Dark Link left the two unconscious and immediately warped to Lake Hylia in Lanayru Province. He thanked Midna for her warp holes as he dramatically walked across the bridge. He moved slowly, thinking if people were watching him now, he would want them to fear him. Cower before him. And for that to happen, he must act like he has that kind of power.

He stood in front of Lanayru's water sanctuary. With a grin, he walked up to the peninsula. Lanayru, without missing a beat, rose and roared at him, showing off his light.

"The Eldin Province has been turned to shadows, and it was all you're doing," Lanayru concluded.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," he muttered. Dark Link watched Lanayru swim in the water like a snake. Gripping the light would be hard.

"Lanayru Province will not be turned to shadows!" he roared. It was the first time Dark Link heard the deity of light to raise his voice. It probably wasn't a good thing either. Lanayru rose again, staring down the interloper. He lifted up his tail and began to smash it onto the ground. At first, Dark Link froze, but after waking himself up, he dove to the left and somersaulted to his feet. Lanayru lifted up his tail again, and Dark Link blindly dove forward, thinking he was heading for water, but his head hit a wall. His hand caught onto something and he looked up. He was dangling from vines. Dark Link began to climb to the top as well as dodging Lanayru's sinister tail.

He froze when his tail closed around Dark Link's waist. He felt the serpent's muscles contract around him, and his breath escaped his lungs.

But Lanayru made a mistake. Dark Link was quick to catch it.

Lanayru roared at him. The ball of light was inches from his face. Dark Link turned away, but shot the same defensive blast of magic at him. Lanayru, realizing his mistake, swerved to avoid it, but missed. Dark Link concentrated on the magic and prepared to send it up the grip. Lanayru roared again, and it broke the connection.

To Dark Link's frustration, He had to continue to dodge Lanayru's tail _as well _as the furious blasts of light that came from the sea serpent. When the light hit him square in the chest, he seriously thought that this would be it. That Link would die as well—and he couldn't have that. He screamed and a horrible moan echoed in the room. It took him awhile to realize that it came from him. As the pain began to dissipate, Dark Link continued to dodge Lanayru's tail. He was much more sluggish now and would occasionally trip, giving Lanayru the advantage. But Lanayru was still making the mistakes. He was roaring at Dark Link for one second at a time, which was plenty of time to grip the ball of light.

And, to Lanayru—and Hyrule's—horror, that's just what happened. He caught the ball of light and sent a wave up magic up it and Lanayru disappeared with an ear-splitting scream. Dark Link smiled as he sank to his knees. He tried to calm down his hard breathing with the fact that Hyrule was won. Faron could stay alive, for all he cared. Hyrule Castle was encased in darkness, and that's all that was needed, right? Eldin was simply practice. He thanked the soldier in the Twilight Realm—Zeph, he believed his name was—for teaching him the trick.

Dark Link wanted to lie down, but if he did, he would fall into the water.

_…Whatever, _he thought, and lied down. He felt himself slowly sinking into the water, and when he did, it didn't hold the relief he thought it would have.

The water was _warm. _

Dark Link muttered to himself as he climbed out of the water. He limped out of the sanctuary with a smile on his face. His white hair was dripping with the stupid warm water, but he didn't care. To have the water caress his sore muscles and wounds was fine with him.

Then a thought occurred to him. He walked back to the sanctuary and gazed into the water. Along with the black and white scene, a red, silky liquid was sinking to the bottom.

Aside the fact the red liquid was his own blood, it was a beautiful sight. The red complemented the black and white nicely.

His brows furrowed as he thought about it. _Hah! Home decorating. Maybe, when I rule the land, I'll look into it. After all, I have a feminine sense of colors. Heh heh. _

All that was left was Faron. Dark Link sighed. Was it really necessary? Would Faron put up quite a fight like Lanayru did?

He shrugged and dived into the sanctuary water and broke the surface tension with ease. He opened his eyes after a while to find that it was too dark to see. Dark Link sighed and smiled at the feeling the bubbles of air felt as they traveled up his face to the surface. He followed them and gulped in air. It was a relaxing feeling- something that he hadn't felt in a while. With all the angst and hatred, he hardly had time for anything else.

But after a while of frolicking in the water, he concluded he was lonely. After all, Link, even his ancestors, had travel partners. Why couldn't he? Was he so different? Well, besides the whole 'evil' thing?

_Whatever. I have business to attend to. What luck—Midna and Link will be there as well. Along with… Zelda and the Princess? This plan is going so smoothly it's not even fun anymore. _

He got out of the water for a second time and warped to Faron Woods, where he was immediately encased in Light.

In this strange ball of light, his wrists were bound behind his back and his feet were chained together. The light was so blinding not even closing out his eyes blotted it out. He groaned. _This sucks…_

"Interloper of the Shadow Realm…" Faron began. Dark Link moaned louder. _Again with the speeches?!_

"Here, you will be bound for the rest of eternity. Your skeleton will be a warning to all shadow beasts that erupt from your realm."

"That's great," Dark Link muttered.

"You do not find the remaining guardians of light a challenge?"

"Not really."

"Do you realize what you have done? Lanayru, servant of the Goddess of Wisdom Nayru, has been eliminated! Therefore, the Triforce of Wisdom's power has vanished!"

"Pretty much," Dark Link said.

"And the Triforce of Power—"

"—is gone too. I can make connections you know," Dark Link said in a bored tone.

Faron said nothing. He already concluded the rest of his plan. Link would, unfortunately, keep his courage. The guardian bowed his head. "Now is the time for mourning for the loss of Hyrule… And how unknowingly it was lost."

"Are you trying to make me feel guilty? All your speech is doing is making me feel happier."

"Silence!" Faron ordered.

Dark Link considered making a witty retort, but decided against it.

"The land of the Goddesses… the fruit of their labor… it's been reduced to mere shadows."

"Saying a few words good-bye?" Dark Link grinned like an eight year old.

Faron continued after shooting a glare in the interloper's direction. "Innocence slaughtered by the hands of hate was how poor Hyrule died. Mutilated country martyr, if I could, I'd put you in a parallel universe, give you a better fate. Alas, even my powers cannot do so."

"Are you _done _yet? These chains are starting to hurt!" Dark Link whined.

As he said that, Dark Link opened his eyes for a second to catch two figures beginning to stare at Eldin and the ball of light.

"Link!" one shouted.

_Link's here? So that must be Midna's voice…? Or Zelda's? I don't know. My head hurts. That stupid ringing in my ears won't go away. _

Dark Link smiled as the chains faded away and he fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"…Link?!" the woman shouted. He slowly turned his head and saw a blond headed girl gawking at him. At _him- _Dark Link.

"I'm not Link," Dark Link mumbled as he staggered to his feet. Link did the same, whipping out the Master Sword on instinct.

"He's my alter-ego," Link put it.

The woman looked back from Link to Dark Link, and fainted. Dark Link stifled a laugh as Link tended to her.

"Why am I hurting, Dark?" Link demanded while throwing some of Faron's water on her.

"Ask your Light Guardian over there," Dark Link responded, jerking a thumb over his shoulder to an annoyed Faron.

Link nodded his head, understanding. He clenched his fists when the woman wouldn't wake up, and stood to face Dark Link. "What have you done to Hyrule? The Triforce of Power has faded away. Zelda started fading away! And you were here to wipe out me!" Link shouted, taking a stab at Dark Link, which he easily avoided.

Faron responded for him. "He has turned the Lanayru and Eldin provinces into a world of shadows…"

Link's eyes widened. "The Twilight is back?!"

"Nope- no Twilight. Just shadows."

Link's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"It's black and white. It's pretty cool!"

Link snarled. _"Cool?! Do you not realize what has just happened?!"_

"I know, I know. Faron already told me that. And just for the record, Zelda isn't going to _fade away. _All that is going to happen is her wisdom is going to disappear, and she'll turn into a clueless bubblehead again." Dark Link turned to Faron. _"But I need your courage to disappear," _Dark Link said in a hauntingly quiet tone. Link prepared to defend himself, but was taken aback when Dark Link headed for Faron instead.

Faron apparently didn't possess the same fury as Lanayru did. He did, however, have Link who was prepared to defend himself, his courage, his girlfriend or whoever that woman is, and the Guardian of Light.

Link tackled Dark Link and pinned him to the ground. As Dark Link struggled against his grasp, Link yelled for Faron to leave—to go back to the Sacred Realm. He, of course, didn't.

"He has too much pride to leave, idiot! Just like _you!" _Dark Link barked. He threw Link off of him and connected his magic with Faron's ball of light. The ethereal monkey was startled and froze. Link, however, severed the connection when he stood in front of it and let the magic flow to him, making Dark Link feel it too. They both fell in Faron's healing waters and sat there for a moment. Faron knew now that if he attacked Dark Link, he **I**attacked Link as well and didn't make any effort to destroy him. When they both regained enough strength to stand on their feet, Dark Link began to try to kill Faron and Link began to defend him. When this didn't work and Dark Link was beginning to get fed up, he shot the blast at Link instead. He held Link where he was and then shot the beam at Faron's bulb of light. He swerved, but not enough. As fast as he had caught the light, he had sent the magic up the grip. Link was screaming and struggling like crazy, hoping to attract some attention before the deed was done…

Dark Link released his grip on Link too soon and he, once free, started for Dark Link. He knocked him to the ground again, only this time, Dark Link didn't struggle. He just grinned, only not like an eight year old. He grinned like a twisted person with thoughts of destruction. Link looked around when the sun wasn't shining anymore. Dark Link slithered away out from under him and laughed when Link couldn't find him. Only his eyes could be seen, but he made it so that his eyes were everywhere. They watched Link and blinked when he did. Link looked around, fright being the look on his face. Dark Link laughed, as this was the first time genuine fear had settled upon the face of the Hero.

But what he needed to see was his hand. Dark Link grabbed Link's hand and watched the Triforce of Courage glow dimly, it being the only good light.

It faded away, and Link sank into the depths of unconsciousness.

Dark Link, however, did not.

The Triforce of Courage was gone, as was the heart Dark Link and Link shared.

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**I really, really liked this chapter. I think it hit my favorites. **

**Don't worry, an epic battle will ensue in one of these chapters!!!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Alrighty then! Chapter 18!! **

**Don't forget to read my next story in this trilogy… when it comes out! Wow, was that a good sales pitch or what? Heh, just kidding. I know absolutely nothing about selling anything. Maybe that's why school fundraisers never normally do very good. Unless you're in elementary school and a whole bunch of prizes await ya. **

**You know, I should probably disclaim Zelda… so, uh, I disclaim it? **

**There ya go, Nintendo. Na na na na boo boo- you can't sue me!**

**Anyway. **

**Midna's POV all the way through the chapter!**

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As much as she wanted to let Link loose, Zelda persuaded her not to. After all, she knew what was best, right?

Midna sighed. Link understood. Zelda smiled softly. She let the two alone and went back to the village where her daughter was. Somehow, she was able to keep him restrained while Zelda was gone.

"Listen, I—" Midna began.

"No, Midna. You don't need to apologize. I was pretty stupid to go fight a whole army of dead things on my own. It's my entire fault, really."

"I shouldn't have left you."

"You had to keep the Princess alive. Her blood is far more precious than my own."

"You're the hero!" Midna protested.

"She's royalty. She naturally comes first. She's also a baby. Vulnerable, fragile, helpless."

"Stop being modest. I know you're mad about being the sacrifice."

Link smiled. "Who wouldn't be?"

Midna sighed again. It seemed she was doing a lot of that lately. It expressed all of her emotions in one movement. She thought back to the ruined Twilight Realm, it's poor, diseased people, and what it would look like when she got back there. If she got back there.

As if Link read her mind, which she wouldn't be surprised if he did, he said quietly, "I'm sure our kingdom will remain alive. After all it's been through…"

Midna silently agreed. Back when she hadn't met Link yet, she was sweet, but also had a dark side to her, which was brought out frequently. Zant was getting on her nerves, with his evil grins and suspicious lurking about the palace. She turned hostile once, just for a split second, and then the ice was broken. Zant and Midna had become rivals. When Zant had the power, he overthrown the palace, and just to make his power more obvious, he turned the princess into an imp.

She thought back to her days as a gangly, awkward imp. Walking was infuriating, but it wasn't necessary. Easy things such as holding an object were hard, because her thumbs had shrunken.

Now, he was dead. Or so she thought. She killed him once, and then was kidnapped by him, and now he's gone.

Midna silently thanked the Sols that he vanished. Maybe Link killed him? Will he get revived by something again? It was all too confusing. "Do _you _think Zant is dead? Do you think that the Twilight Realm is okay? Were we successful?"

"What constitutes success?" Link asked her. Midna didn't respond. "He who has succeeded has lived well; laughed often and loved much; who has gained he respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left this world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty, or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory is a benediction."

"That was probably the longest speech I've ever heard you say," Midna murmured. Link chuckled. "But… I guess I see your point."

"Oh?"

"Yes. If the world is a better place, than we have succeeded." Link merely nodded in response. It didn't give her any more answers than that. "Is the world a better place?"

"You tell me. What do you think?"

Midna didn't respond. Instead, she was thinking of a response. _No, _she thought, _the world isn't better. In fact, it's worse. Killing Ganondorf did nothing. He still managed to get inside the minds of innocents and turn them against everyone. _

The hair on the back of Midna's neck began to stand up. She whirled around and found Ilia standing at the edge of the pond.

"Hi guys," she said quietly. "Am I interrupting?"

"Of course not," Midna said quickly. Might as well be nice to her when Link is around. "Come, sit." Midna tapped the water next to her.

Ilia smiled. "Thank you, but I… was hoping to talk to Link alone."

Midna stood up. "Of course," she said, and turned to leave.

"Wait, Midna…? Could… we go for a walk?"

Link wouldn't hurt Ilia, would he? Then again, he tried to hurt Midna, even Zelda and the Ordonians. Midna raised her eyebrows at Link.

"I won't turn into a monster, I promise."

"Don't drop dead, either," Midna teased. He gave a weak smile.

"I feel terrible separating you too," Ilia murmured. Midna took the restraints off of Link, being careful not to touch him with the electricity. Link stood up and stretched his legs.

"I'm soaked," he complained.

"Sorry. I thought, you know, the healing water…"

"Yeah. Faron would have worked too, you know. Anyway, don't worry, Ilia, it'll be alright. You're not separating us."

Midna stopped him. "I severed the bridge to Faron, trying to save Ordon from those monsters. I couldn't bring you there. And besides, I thought if I restrained you, it would be alright…"

"That's right, I forgot!" Ilia yelled. She turned to Midna. "Could you fix it?"

"No," she immediately replied. Link nodded in approval.

"Link, I really, really need to talk to you alone! It's nothing about you and Midna, I swear. Midna could come if she wanted to. But… it would be easier alone. Easier for me and my selfish ways."

"I'd be putting the entire Ordon Village at risk, not to mention you and Link. And I wouldn't be there to help."

"Come then!"

Midna shook her head. "I have a thing about privacy. If you want it, I'll give you it. But if I have to put the only remaining province of Hyrule that hasn't been infected entirely at risk, then my final answer is no."

"It will only be for five minutes!"

"That is what everyone says. My mother would always tell me that. It would end up being an hour."

Link raised his eyebrows. She knew exactly what he was thinking: _"Mother?"_

"Midna. I can still fight."

She shot him a glare and walked up to him, staring down into his eyes. "Excuse me?"

Link didn't react. "I can still fight. And believe me; I know you won't hurt me. Not when I'm like this."

"A few seconds ago, you were agreeing with me."

"And a few seconds later, I decide I want to her what Ilia has to say."

Ilia took a step back, and begun to leave. "Maybe another time, Link…"

Midna sighed for the third time in those seven minutes and raised her hands towards the bridge. She lifted them, realized fixing bridges took a lot more energy than snapping them did, but she put them back into place. The rope had a visible seam where it was broken. She told Link and Ilia to get across and fast. Midna would destroy the bridge as soon as they got across. She would be back in ten minutes to repair it again. If they weren't there, she wouldn't repair it. Midna told them not to go far. Above all, to be safe.

"Thank you, Midna!" Ilia cried. She grabbed Link's sleeve and dragged him across the bridge. Midna huffed and ran back towards the village. She didn't even want to look at the man in the green tunic who had betrayed her decision to _keep the rest of the freaking world safe. _'No, the world doesn't matter. Let's go have a peppy little conversation and get everyone killed! While we're at it, let's go to the Sacred Realm and _release the freaking king of evil _from his prison!'

_Real smart thinking, Link. Thanks. I'm sure Colin would love to grow up to be you now. After all, you killed him. And I'm not going to be around forever to protect your village._

She let the water in the creek by Rusl- now Uli's- house lap at her toes. She felt Fado's eyes on her and shot him a glare. He quickly turned around and went back up to the ranch. Beth sat down next to her, and eventually Colin, Talo, and Malo were all around her, just being silent. When their parents came to see what they were doing, they smiled and bathed in the cool water. The kids joined in, all but Colin. Midna put her arm around the boy's shoulders and he leaned on her.

"Your dad will be okay. He's a swordfighter, after all."

Colin nodded, trying to stay strong. Midna felt hot tears on her side, and smiled at him. He wiped them away as fast as she had looked at them.

"Come on, Colin! I bet you couldn't beat me in a race around Ordon!"

Colin stood up. "Oh yeah?"

Midna grinned, delighted at the challenge. Talo put his arm in front of the two racers and counted down from three. When he hit zero, he shouted go and lifted up his arm. Colin took off, and Midna was taken aback at how fast he could run. They started at the entrance to the village, took a quick left and up the path to Colin's house, back down and took another left up the hill to the ranch, ran around it once, and then dove off the dock to the left of Talo and Malo's house. They swam directly across the small lake to the left of Sera's Sundries, and then the home stretch was back up to Colin's house. Midna had the lead for most of it, and when she thought she was going to win, she slowed down. During that time, Colin saw an opportunity, and dashed by her. Midna reacted too slow to resume her first place, and came in second. Midna smiled but she had her mouth open in surprise.

"Close your mouth," Colin instructed, "or you'll catch flies."

Midna huffed and closed it, then sat down indignantly.

"At least you came in second!" he said, trying to cheer her up.

Midna smiled. "Second place is the first loser. Anyway, there were only two spots!"

Colin laughed. "Oh well. More glory for me."

"Yeah, whatever." Midna patted Colin's sopping hair and pulled her hand away in disgust at the feel of it. "Ever heard of a concoction that actually cleans your hair?"

"I'm not royalty," he pointed out. "All we care about is that the dirt must be washed away before dinner. Smell would be nice too, but it's not necessary. After all, washing away the smell means getting into cold water. And at dinner time, the water's even colder."

"Makes sense, I guess."

Colin tentatively reached up and patted Midna's hair. "Whoa. It's so soft."

"I'm a queen, remember?"

"Yeah. You and Zelda. It's probably the first time we've ever actually _hosted _royalty before. Sorry if it's kind of… not what you're used to."

Midna laughed. "Colin, believe me, I'm used to it. I'm going to go check on Zelda now, okay? Be back later."

"'Kay. Bye!" Colin ran off to join Talo, Malo, and Beth in the creek, while Midna walked up to Uli's house. Uli and Zelda were talking calmly and the baby was sound asleep.

"Ah. Hello, Midna. Link is—"

"With Ilia. Story later—don't want to talk about it. Anyway, what's going on? Your faces…" Midna looked at both of their concerned, stern faces with question.

"Link is the matter, Midna. He cannot stay here. No one knows when he will erupt to his monstrous ways, and Ordon Province must be spared from the disease. I cannot abandon this place, either. I have just abandoned my own kingdom, and all those who fought to protect it. I just simply could not bear it. That being said, Link must go. Whether that means you go remains to be said."

"If Link goes, I, of course, would be going too. Question is, where to? The Twilight Realm seems impossible to get to. Where would we go without being killed?"

"I would go to Dartin. It's the only allied kingdom we know of. How to get there, though, is the problem."

"If there is any way I could help, please, let me know," Uli insisted.

_Translation: If there is any way I could speed this up… _"Of course, Uli. Thank you," Midna said in the most polite way she could.

"We all know life is rough at the moment," Uli said with sympathy.

Zelda closed her eyes as she spoke. "'Tis easy enough to be pleasant when life flows along like a song, but the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong."

Midna smiled her thanks at Zelda. "You always know what to say."

"I try," she said with a chuckle.

Uli and Midna looked at each other and smiled.

"Link! Oh no, I have to get back! It's been longer than ten minutes! Oh, they're probably waiting for me!"

Midna had her hand on the doorknob when Zelda grabbed her arm tightly, preventing her from moving.

"Something's wrong," she whispered in a hoarse voice. Uli immediately stood up, gathered the Princess in her arms, and made Colin come back inside. She quickly told everyone else to get back into their houses. Midna looked at Zelda, waiting for her to say more, but she got all the answers she needed. The Triforce of Wisdom, that she had recently received again, was now glowing dimly. The Triforce of Power has faded away from the three, making the triangle look abstract. Now, the Wisdom Triforce was fading. Midna grabbed onto her sleeve tightly to make sure she wouldn't lose her, and warped to Ordon Spring.

Link and Ilia were waiting patiently on the other side. Midna called out to Link, showed Zelda's face and hand out to Link. Ilia must have heard something, because she got up and ran somewhere else. Link chased after her, and Midna contemplated running after them. She decided against it, for she was the village's only protector. Midna left the bridge intact, however, and set Zelda in Ordona's waters. She only had the power of destruction, not healing vision. It was all she could do but pray to the Goddesses that whatever Zelda saw in her mind would not become a reality.

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**The last chapter is next!! Oo, what will happen? What did Zelda see? What did Link and Ilia talk about? What did Ilia hear? Why am I asking YOU all these questions, when I'M the one who knows the answers?? **

**Let me tell you this one thing- all of these questions MIGHT not be answered in the final chapter. Some I'll leave you to decide, other's I'll answer. **

**Now. Is. The. Time....**

**For you to READ AND REVIEW! Well, you already read it, so now REVIEW!**

**Oh, and I'm gonna try my hand at making a lengthy, and I mean LENGTHY chapter next. Want one big one (that might fail, no promises, seeing as I have never written, say a ten page chapter before), or two normal sized ones? **

**Or should I just make two and squash 'em together, or would that not work...? I dunno. Now, you have the answers. AND YOU BETTER REPLY TO THIS, OTHERWISE IMMA DO WHAT I FEEL LIKE! **

**Ah, right. Review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Majority rule- two chapters! So this is the second-to-last! Enjoy peoplez.**

**Thanks for the reviews, people! Really nice. Liked that. **

**But to those people who DIDN'T say how many chapters they wanted… PTTTHH!! (Uh, I stuck my tongue out at you and made it do that noise, in case no one really got that…)**

**Don't own Zelda, don't freak, don't sue me…**

**R&R!**

* * *

**(Link's POV) **Somewhere, in the back of the Hero's mind, he realized escape might not be so simple this time around. Other times, he would have a fairy, or _Midna. _But now, he simply has Ilia, who had chosen that time, the time when he actually _needed _her, to faint.

Dark Link was in under him, grinning evilly. Link's attempt to pin him to the ground so no more harm would be done had failed. Before he knew it, he sunk to the ground. He had lost the grip on his shadow, and he slithered away. Shakily, he got to his knees and then his feet, keeping one hand close to the ground in case he was to fall. He spotted Dark Link's sinister red orbs for eyes, and glared at them. But then his vision grew blurry, or at least he thought it did, and his shadow's eyes were everywhere. He fell back to his knees again and sat on them so he could lift his hands to his ears to put out the maniacal laughter. The sun was now grey with a black outline. All that could be seen in color was Dark Link's eyes, and that wasn't what he wanted to see.

Faron, the servant of Farore had vanished. Farore was the Goddess of Courage, and the Courage Triforce was now gone. It's light, warmth, and bravery had vanished. Link imagined Zelda as a bubblehead and Darion as a weakling, but him… afraid of everything? The pieces of the puzzle wouldn't fit together.

_If there is any thing you can do, Farore… Nayru… Din… Now would be… the time… to do it…_

Link's thoughts grew apart and seemed more and more random in his head, and decided not thinking was best. He closed his eyes and grew limp, sinking to the ground in defeat. All means of struggle were behind him now. All he cared for, all he wished for, was death.

As his skin began to grow cold and he grew weaker and weaker, a hand, even colder to the touch than his skin, patted his shoulder.

"There, there," the voice crooned. Link's thoughts still wouldn't connect together, and could not put a name to the voice. "All will be prosperous. We just need you to stay alive. You think you could do that for me?"

There was an evil edge to his voice, and Link finally concluded it was Dark Link again.

"N-no…" he pleaded.

"Begging will do no good," he said in his neutral, humble tone.

When he felt something sharp enter just below his shoulder where Dark Link's hand had been, he screamed bloody murder. The pain was so terrible, and yet so real. Should death be this painful? Wasn't he already dead? If so, why were the Goddesses torturing him so? He felt, to his dismay, his heart spring back into action, trying to pump this new liquid around in his body. Warmth escaped his arm where his shadow had bitten him, but Dark Link was covering the open wound with his hand. Once, he felt his tongue caress his arm. He shivered in disgust and tried to move away from him, and to say anything, reach for the Master Sword, his shield to block himself, anything he could use. But he was too weak to use them anyway.

"I'm no vampire, but your blood tastes… rather good, actually." Dark Link chuckled in spite of himself. "Although, a child would certainly consider me a vampire, considering this whole disease was spread by one bite."

Link felt his strength returning little by little. He knew that he would be turning into a monster soon—_again_—and the only available blood was Ilia's, and he would soon maul her vulnerable body, and he decided it would be best to get away, far away, when he could. He rolled himself into Faron's water, wincing as his wound touched the ground, but when he hit the rocks that were supposed to be on the far end of the pond, being concealed by the gentle waterfall, he opened his eyes. There was no water in his pond anymore. It had all evaporated with the light.

"Where are you going?" Dark politely asked. "After all, you have business to attend to at Ordon! You don't want to leave without your wife, don't you?"

Link's expression grew hard. Midna was one thing he would never forget about, no matter how dead he was. "Don't touch her…!" he cried.

"Nonsense. It's no trouble at all. We'll go fetch her together, shall we? It would only take a minute. But I can't have you trying to escape, now can we? No, that wouldn't work out too well."

Link opened his eyes long enough to see that he should shut them, and did so immediately. He had found that when one sees danger, they shut their eyes, in hopes to blot out the danger. All fantasies, and merely fantasies, but he closed them on instinct. What he thought he was going to feel—pain, suffering, all of that torture, did not come. Instead, he felt relaxed and at ease.

"Ah, how your light burns dimly, as it weeps within your fading soul…" It was the last thing the hero could comprehend before he sank into the sweet abyss of unconsciousness.

**(Midna's POV) **Midna rounded the corner into Ordon spring and there lay the Queen of Hyrule, completely soaked, and Ordona was in his spirit form, watching her.

Ordona didn't look up when Midna walked to the water. "I do not possess the same power as the other light spirits—Eldin, Lanayru, and Faron. I am not apart of their kingdom. Therefore, I cannot protect myself… And although I feel immensely weak saying this, I need help."

"Don't worry, Ordona. It's going to be alright. I'm here, and so is Link. The two of us can handle anything."

"Do not be so cocky, young Queen. The disease is spreading… the fire runs through the infected veins. As the fire spreads, the amount of water to put it out decreases." Midna gave him the confused look. Ordona sighed. "The only cure for an incurable disease is death to the infected. _All _of the infected. Then you must burn the tissue left over, so curious animals do not eat the meat."

"Link too…?"

Ordona closed his eyes. "I did not give any exceptions. _All _persons who have the disease must die. That includes Hyrule's Hero. However, in the condition he is in now, his execution might not have to be in this moment. He can interact and touch other living human beings without triggering the monster dwelling inside of him."

Midna got very quiet and focused her eyes on Zelda's hair floating elegantly in the water. "When must it be?"

Ordona sighed, and disappeared. Only his voice could be heard. "Time, like a snowflake, disappears while one is trying to decide what to do with it. Let that be our parting advice, Queen of the Twilight. Time has grown short. The Queen of Hyrule is safe now. However, great dangers lurk ahead in your life. Hyrule's fate is not in Link's hands, but in yours. Whether you choose to accept that fate is your own choice. You, being of Twilight, need not be involved in the messes of Hyrule. However, you are tied to it by Link. Farewell, Queen Midna."

Midna half-dragged, half-guided Zelda back to Ordon. She was conscious now, but very tired and weak. Uli, seeing her state, rushed to help her back to her house. Zelda moaned and whined and complained, but she was eventually draped on Uli's small couch. She didn't ask questions, because she knew she wouldn't understand the answers. When Zelda woke up completely a half an hour later, she scrambled to get up after realizing she was not at home. Midna remembered she would be stupid and was patient with her even during the times she wanted to smack her face so hard she'd fly all the way to the Twilight Realm.

A more important concern, however, was that Link and Ilia were not back yet. How long would it take for Link to find her? Were they still talking? Midna desperately, and yet shamefully, wished that Ilia had died when she was shot with the arrow, because this unnecessary drama would cease to exist. Midna patted Zelda's shoulder and promised she'd get home as soon as possible. That calmed her down enough to sleep again, and Midna walked outside to talk to Colin. He seemed so much older for his years. It calmed herself down just to talk to him. He had begun to talk about life before the Twilight happened, when he was shy and insecure, when he thought Link was magical in the way he could sit on a horse without falling, let alone swing his sword around without dropping it or hurting himself… About fifteen minutes went by and Midna could completely forget her concerns. The rest of the kids soon joined in on the conversation, and they eventually got to know each other very well.

"Link's back!" Beth exclaimed. Midna immediately swiveled to the entrance, but she didn't see him.

"Are you sure?"

"I can hear Epona's footsteps. Link's coming," she assured her.

Sure enough, if Midna actually listened, she could hear the soft pounding of Epona's rhythmic steps. Malo got up and ran to the entrance of Ordon Village and peered around the corner. What he saw must have interested him, because he ran towards it. Then he ran back out and hid behind Midna.

"What's the matter, crybaby?" Talo teased.

"Link is! Well, I mean… I don't know…"

Midna absent-mindedly patted Malo's shoulder awkwardly and stepped away from him. Midna took two steps closer to Ordon Village's entrance before Epona revealed herself and her mount. Half of her was behind the wall of earth. The person riding her had jerked her reins back as far as they would go, her mouthpiece almost gagging her.

_"You!" _Midna shouted. Dark Link reached behind him and pulled out Ilia, hanging by her collar, and Bo screamed and shouted. It took Fado and Haunch to restrain him from charging into Dark Link. Something fell onto the ground, and Dark Link stifled a laugh. He raised his eyebrows at Midna, who beckoned for her to come forward. Instead, she walked away and out in front of him. She could clearly make out Link squished between the wall and Epona's legs. As much as she tried to move away, Dark would steer her back.

There was no need to ask what happened. He smirked at her and mouthed an apology. Uli cried, Bo screamed bloody murder—literally—and the children were scared out of their wits.

_No… no this… can't be happening… It can't be real! Could this be a mirage? Is that why he's smirking? It has to be, because Dark Link would then be dead, would he not? He would be unconscious too!_

Midna smirked back. Link was probably tied to some tree with his weapons tied to another. All she had to do was sneak by Dark Link and she would be home free. She'd run into Faron, find Link, and have him settle this. _But what could explain Zelda's sudden stupidness? Midna had seen the Triforce fade from her hand. Was that what happened to Link? But, Dark Link is still there…_ _Is he an illusion too?_

Dark raised his eyebrows in confusion. Midna placed her hands on her hips and beamed triumphantly. He made Epona walk to Midna, leaving the fake Link sprawled against the wall.

"I don't find what's so funny to _you, _your Highness."

"I know, Dark. These people may not, but I do. Your little _trick _won't work on me."

"I don't understand," he said, with an actual look of confusion written on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Midna scoffed at that. "If Link is dead, you're dead, to put it bluntly."

Dark Link's expression went from confused back to happy again. "Ah, I'm sorry. You… don't know, is that correct?"

"Stop speaking in riddles. Tell me what you're talking about."

"Ah, how ironic. Irony and Karma seem to go hand in hand, don't you think?"

_"Tell me," _Midna demanded in her most stern, hostile voice.

"The Triforce of Courage is gone. It seems that is what bonded us together. And now, I am free. Free to do things _I _want."

Midna expected this, but was so sure Link was alive that she didn't give it much thought. _He could be lying, _she thought. _His mind doesn't work the way yours does. You're right. You know what you're doing. He couldn't do those things. After all, how could he? He isn't that strong. The Hero of Time, as Link tells me, defeated him. He's dead. Shouldn't he be? _

"Go and see for yourself, if seeing the reality makes it any more believable…"

Midna did so, but continuously looked over her shoulder at him to make sure he wasn't going to hurt her. She aroused Link, shook and gently smacked him several times, but he wouldn't wake up.

No, it was the seventh time that she did so that his eyes flung open. They were bloodshot and made him look tired. She now had one long scar that ran down her cheek from the claws that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Midna staggered backward, clutching her cheek that was bound to become swollen, and fell into the water. Colin dove in after her, but when she touched the bottom she was okay. Link's eyes frantically waved back and forth, but when he spotted her open wound, he smelled the air and grew intoxicated from it. Dark held him back and hit him hard. Link was knocked against the wall, and with a shriek of infuriation, he lunged for Dark, only to hit the opposite wall because he had shrunk to the ground as a shadow. Now, as he became weaker and weaker, he would obey Dark Link more often. Dark was beginning to be more sane than Link, and soon, Midna wouldn't be able to determine the difference between the two. The shadow ripped a branch off of a tree and told Link to set it ablaze. Without hesitation, he whipped out the Hero's Bow from the Goron Mines with something red at the tip. It took Midna a minute to realize it was fire. No one stopped him. Even Bo had stopped struggling. Ilia still lies unconscious by Epona. Link notched an arrow and let it fly. The arrow went right through a leaf, which had disintegrated within a few seconds. Link fired another arrow at the branch, which seemed to catch. Dark Link chucked the branch inside the window of Mayor Bo's house with incredible accuracy. As the tree began to burst into flames, everyone knew that it was a lost cause. They forced Midna to warp herself away- she couldn't take on two people. Midna did so immediately. _Hyrule's fate is in my hands, _Midna remembered. _My hands. And as this strange darkness and twisted disease lingers over Hyrule, I shall still be alive. Because this isn't Dark Link's country. _

**(Looking down at the scene) **Midna had warped herself to Faron Woods and begun to run through the trees, heading east. She didn't stop running. She couldn't. She won't.

Back at Ordon, the people watched as the fire danced and waved at them, cackling manically. It was as evil as Dark himself. Dark Link and Link had vanished, probably off in pursuit of Midna. Maybe not. The Ordonians wouldn't know. They didn't care. No hero was coming for them, anyway. Hope is the most effective vulnerary. It's also makes the biggest wounds when crushed. No doubt it's what they were feeling.

Uli was searching frantically for Syra, her youngest daughter. She screamed for her. Shrieked for her. There was no response, and if there were, it wouldn't be heard over the raging fire. She and Fado even ran back to the house, but she wasn't there. Fado finally remembered that she had gone to play with the goats. Uli stared horror struck at the impassable path towards the ranch, no matter which way you went. The fire crept up the path

And Colin, who decided he would grow up to be like Link one day, couldn't help but weep in front of everyone. Talo didn't make fun of him, because he was weeping too. Wasn't the good side always supposed to win? What ever happened to the logic in bedtime stories? Was there any to begin with? These questions poked and shoved their way into the children's minds. Bo was screaming for Ilia to come back. He was the only one talking. Uli and Fado were helping Zelda and the Princess out of her house as it burned to the ground. Sophie cried of a burn on her leg. Her wails pierced the hearts of the villagers. Bo pounded the ground. He threatened to throw himself into the fire, but the children persuaded him not to after a long talk. Eventually, they had to leave Ordon Village. Beth kissed a tree goodbye. They walked towards Faron Woods, thankful Midna had left the bridge intact, but Colin stayed behind for one more minute. He watched as the fire crept towards Link's old house, disheartened he could do nothing to save it. He ripped off a piece of his clothing and buried it in the dirt, trying to create some time capsule of this day. One day, he would avenge that man, the one with the glowing, eerie eyes.

A scream followed by a wail of depression echoed in his ears. He sprinted back to the crowd, and saw Zelda on her hands and knees, with one arm extended towards the trees. Fado took off in hot pursuit, but Haunch called for him to stay. We couldn't lose another, he said. So the poor mother loudly lamented for her child, but not for long. Everyone had to get across the bridge before the fire took it away. Colin would look for Midna until the end of time if it meant he could go home again. All he wanted to do was sleep. He wanted Talo to tease him again, if that's what home meant. Beth swore she would carry on the Ordonians legacy because she was the youngest female there now. No one ever talked about Syra. Syra… didn't make it. As much as Uli tried to blot it out, tried to be strong, everyone knew she was grieving hard for her lost child. She was so young to have suffered such a terrible fate. A mother was not supposed to attend her child's cremation. It didn't work that way.

The hard fact to accept was that they were, or at least they thought they were, _the last sane people in all the land. _All of Castle Town, they knew from Link and Midna's adventures, was completely wiped out. They weren't sure about Death Mountain, or Zora's Domain. It would be a long trip to get there, and a hard trip to stay alive. They decided to head for Zora's Domain because of the water supply and fish supply. However, it was a longer trip. They would hurry to Lake Hylia and work it out from there, they decided.

But what filled them with a complete sense of shock and awe, and _fear, _was the lack of color. Everything and everyone was black and white. It made them fear for the Guardians of Light, but there was nothing they could do about it. They wished they hadn't told Midna to save herself so she could save them, but it was a selfish thought. But they were defenseless, except for Colin's little experience in sword discipline. Uli's optimism to keep them upbeat was faltering. And when Uli begins to be less cheerful, hopeful, and _gentle, _all goes wrong.

But Colin, as he promised himself earlier, _will _destroy that man. One day he will. He swore it. One day.

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**Soooo….? Was it good? P.S- FORSHADOWING IN THE LAST SENTENCE, COUGH—COUGH. Heh heh, yesss….**

**Anyway! Review!**


	20. The Day of Darkness

**Last chapter, my fellow authors!**

**There WILL be a sequel! Again!**

**But… it's gonna be DIFFERENT. Think about **_**that. **_**Anyone who knows about it… SHUSH!**

**So how's your day been going? Good? That's good. **

**Imma 'bout to ruin it. **

**Well, maybe not. But here goes nothing!**

**Ps- Some outsider will be telling this chapter. No, it's not the Goddesses. Last thing we need is to bring them down here… (and seeing Raishou again… might cause… havoc. Thank you, CD, for an awesome OC.).**

**Review! After you read it! Or else there'd be no point!**

**To TimelessParodies (Sammy): Resonating means 'vibrate; reverberate,' so we were both wrong. So there.**

**P.s, Sammy: (RRRRGGGHH! *raises sword*) Iron Knuckles! =P Inside joke, people, inside joke….. **

**Anyway. Onwards!**

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In the midst of everything, over the sad state of Hyrule, there lingers what seems to be a haze, blinding those too afraid to see the truth. The truth that all is lost. Midna has no idea what she is doing. She is terrified for her husband's life. Ordona's words still linger in her head: _"All persons who have the disease must die." _That included her ill-fated husband. Colin, who had decided he would grow up to be like Link, now has no role model to follow.

Zelda wasn't kidding. Seven, now almost eight, years ago, she had said Light and Shadow were two sides of the same coin. Midna was apart of the Shadow, the "evil," but she had proved herself trustworthy. Now, those few years of peace are gone. Without evil, there is no good. The balance of the world would be ruined. In the Ordinary World everyone is striving to get to, there is a perfect balance. Now, as the black and white looms beneath the haze, blinding even those wisest to see beyond it, all is lost.

The shaman of Kakariko and his daughter are gone. Two days ago, they climbed the mountains to where the Gorons lurked. All but the Patriarch are dead. The mass murder that took place there was too extensive and bloody to describe. The only races left in Hyrule was the small group of humans, Midna, and the Zora's. They have guarded themselves so heavily that the Ordonians were hardly able to get in. They had used the same route Link did to get up, screaming for their lives. But they knew no one would be able to get them up there. They could carry on the human race. They worried about Midna, but they realized she could warp wherever. If she needed to get somewhere safe, she could go there. No one has seen the Castle Town dead ones for several weeks. They had disappeared when Link was bitten. Were they gone now? Did they only need to kill Link and have their job completed? Will there be no more? The small group of survivors didn't know. No one did.

King Ralis of the Zoras had blocked off every entrance except the front- no one would be able to get to it. The mountains were inaccessible through the hole in the earth. Colin loved to hear stories of Zoras Domain- Link had always said he used to stand on the peninsula beside the waterfall in the early morning and watch Hyrule Castle become more and more visible. He said the sight was so beautiful it would take your breath away. The young man did so. It didn't have the same beauty when all was in shadows. He did things he never would have if Link didn't tell him it was fun. He rode down the huge waterfall and thought his ears would explode when he went underwater at the end. He laughed for the first time in ages. He just wished Link was there to share it with him.

Midna had escaped to a clearing southwest of Ordon Village. She knew she had escaped Hyrule's boundaries. All that she needed to do now was overthrow Dark Link, find a way to cure Link, kill a bunch of dead things, and deal with a cold she was catching. It wasn't making things so pleasant. She vomited often, maybe every morning, and could never find enough food to satisfy herself. It seemed redundant, but it was true. She had the same dream she had a while ago- the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny attacked her, while the Goddesses stood by. But this time, she felt she didn't wake up when Link stabbed her. Something sharp, making her yelp in agony every time, sliced through her heart. Every morning when she woke up, she found nothing there, but nothing was intact.

And as much as she'd love to think she was, she never felt betrayed by Link. She kept telling herself that it wasn't him who made her leave. Who set his own home on fire. Who had crushed any hope of the world being a better place.

In a parallel world, everything was paradise. She and Link were together, Zelda would find a man who didn't unexpectedly turn evil, and her daughter would be raised well. She would be in the Twilight Realm. Link probably would too. And they would probably have a child to take care of as well. The disease would be left in the past. And the haze currently plaguing the eyes of millions would be gone. People would open their eyes with awe and rapt wonder at the beautiful landscape the Goddesses created. Because people will better appreciate a sunrise if they have waited in the darkness.

The immortal shadow walked up the steps to the South Gates of Hyrule Castle Town and politely knocked. As would be expected, no one answered. He smirked and stepped out of the way. The Gorons curled into a rock and rolled themselves full speed at the doorway. Once created a huge dent. Twice did it.

The little Hylian Princess blinked her deep, brown eyes at Link's bloodshot blue ones. "Papa?" she asked innocently. Link smacked her, hard. "Shut up!" the baby wailed. "I would never be related to such scum."

The sick Gorons charged through Castle Town, gripping the guards by the necks and allowed Dark to pass solemnly. They put up a fight, however, Dark killed eight before he actually got to the castle. Again, the Gorons were needed to charge through the gates. Dark nodded to Link, who knew what he needed to, and sunk into the shadows.

It was early morning. It was the time—the time to carry out Dark's well-thought-out plan. The Gorons and humans seized every entrance to the castle but one. Dark peered into a window carefully and watched the fuss.

_"Where is Queen Zelda?!" _one of the guards screamed at two other ones. They frantically shook their heads no. They said they're not sure if she is safe, but would bet on it. The first, who Dark assumed was the Captain, shrieked it wasn't good enough. They had to get Darion out of here, the Captain said, and fast. The enemy was gaining on the castle. A few moments later, Darion came charging down the steps, being rushed faster by his servants. The coward swiftly ran ahead of everyone else.

_Never thought it'd be this easy, _Dark thought with a chuckled. He readied a flash of black and blue magic to kill the King. _Say goodbye to your higher deity of choice, your Highness. _He spit.

Darion whirled. Their eyes locked. He shooed his servants away. They did so immediately.

"Where are you, wimp?" he boomed. "Come out and fight!"

Dark laughed, but sank deeper into the shadows. He had not thought about this. He created doppelgangers and placed them around the King on the ground to make his voice surround so he would not be found. "Do you actually care for Hyrule, Darion? Or are you simply doing this job because Ganon swore he would never betray you?"

Sharp inhales erupted from the crowd at the mention of Ganondorf's name. Darion didn't respond. His secret was out. What could he say? I'm sorry? It was a little too late for that. "After all, how did you receive the Goddess' blessing, considering you're not even Hylian?"

"It was given to me by Ganondorf. He trusted me," Darion admitted boldly. Roars of rage erupted from the servants. Darion made sure they stayed back with some magic they probably have never seen before.

"Pity. Thought the King would actually be normal this time."

"Save the pity for yourself. It'll be you who'll need it, anyway."

Dark made a 'tsk' sound with his tongue against his teeth. He grabbed onto the hilt of the Biggoron's Sword and prepared to draw it if necessary. "Empty words, Your Majesty. I have an army about to destroy your castle. You have no one. They're all dead. Shadows, I'd like to call them."

"I don't need an army. I have the power of thousands right here on my hand."

"Are you quite sure, Darion? Look around you. The shadows that loom over your head now are my doing."

"I don't care. They haven't reached my homeland of Dartin. I don't care what happens to Hyrule."

"Oh, I bet you do. Think about how they got there, sire. The Light Spirits are gone. All of them. Ordona probably burned up too. With them gone, the connections between the Sacred Realm and Hyrule are severed. There is no more mark on your hand. You've got no power."

"No matter. I shall never go down without a fight." Darion unsheathed a blade with a streak of gold running through the center. A blue sapphire, the only soothing hue in the landscape, tried to shine.

"No shield?" Dark asked, taking out his pure black with a red emblem shield.

"I am skilled enough not to need one."

Dark felt the vibrations in the ground, trying to feel if Darion was lying through his heartbeat. Either he was a very good liar, or a very good swordsman. Dark now unsheathed his own blade, which was heavy enough to have to be held by two hands, but was strong enough to hold it in one. Dark put up a force field so Darion could not escape. Darion did the same. Dark glared. This would be a battle to the death.

"The fight is on," Darion said, swinging his sword.

"Prepare yourself," Dark responded.

The King of Hyrule and the King of Shadows, both evil, locked themselves in combat. They wasted no time circling each other—Darion made the first move. A quick slash to the right, and then one to the left. Dark dodged the first, but got a scratch on the second. During this time, Darion had swerved behind Dark and brought down the full weight of his sword on him. He, who had barely saw this coming, somersaulted forward, spun around, and delivered a counterattack to Darion's side. Darion turned his sword to block the swipe. Dark didn't push—it would be a worthless attempt. Instead, he performed a graceful back flip to avoid Darion's wrath. Dark transformed back into a shadow, but not for long. He refused to be called a coward during his fight. So he stayed a shadow, surrounding him. He shifted so fast he seemed to be completely around him all at once. Dark could not attack him in this form, but Darion could. He tried to stun him while Darion's eyes were readjusting, and it worked. Darion looked focused and alert, but Dark felt his heartbeat racing in panic. He shifted back into his solid form and attacked him from behind. He smiled, knowing he would get a hit. He was taught that all-over armor impaired movement, but when his sword hit metal, he gasped. Darion turned around and smiled.

"I'm the _king, _remember, fool? I am the one who needs protecting from the likes of _you." _

Dark Link chuckled. "It seems I must play the role of the hero and knock the armor off of you, then." Again, he laughed at the irony. "How amusing."

Darion blocked an attack and flipped his sword in front of Dark's face, hoping to swipe him right down the center. Dark easily avoided it.

"Shall this be a battle of magic instead, since you are so unskilled in the discipline of the sword?"

"Magic isn't your forte, now is it? Why would you want to switch to your tricks?"

"If we fought with magic, I'd actually have a challenge to fight," he pointed out while blocking an attack.

Darion growled and raised his sword and brought it down on Dark so fast he couldn't escape this time. He received a gash on his shoulder for his outburst. "Don't you dare insult me!"

The interloper grasped his shoulder and panted, hard. Too hard. If he had the breath, he would have laughed. It was where Link was 'killed'. Darion bent down and smirked evilly.

"Had enough, _jerk?"_

Dark mustered enough strength to punch Darion hard on his left jaw. He staggered backward and Dark jumped onto his feet. The King of Hyrule spit into Dark's face, blood and something lumpy and green went along with it. He angrily wiped it off.

"The score is two-one, your Shadowiness," Darion muttered. _"I'm winning." _

"The game has just started. Tides could—no, _will_—turn."

Dark blocked an attack with his shield that almost made him lose ground. He did a quick series of jabs that left Darion confused as an after-attack, and to help him regain balance and focus. He managed to get Darion in his gut just as he was stepping back to avoid it. He groaned and clutched it for a swift second, and he also dropped his guard during that time. Dark managed to knock off his shoulder plate. It clattered to the ground, and he kicked it away. He tried to get a hold on him, but the armor seemed to absorb the magic that he sent up the grip.

"Be true to your destiny, Dark. Live the boring, lonely life of a shadow. Trying to rule the world is very clichéd," Darion added with a chuckle.

"I won't be the one ruling it," Dark pointed out. Darion automatically decided it was Link whom he was talking about, but that's not what his shadow had in mind. Dark thrust his at his opponent, catching him on his chest plate, and the sword left a considerable dent on it. Surely it would be of no use anymore. He shoved his shield against him, trying to get the chest plate off of his body. Unfortunately for Dark Link, it was connected to the plate that was on his back. But it couldn't be holding up very well, could it? Wouldn't the back plate be attached to the shoulder pads? The questions didn't matter. He couldn't get a good grip on Darion with the armor in the way, so it needed to come off. The two slashed at each other, hitting each other's blade at most. Sparks flew. To a child, it would be a spectacular light show. Once, twice, thrice, the two hit the other's weapon. The spectators watching the fight did not know who they wanted to win. The eager ones just wanted blood to be shed. Blood they got, but gore, not so much. Frustrating as it was watching the fight, they stood motionless. The women cringed at every ripping sound, afraid of what they would see. Some cried out, terrified for their King's life. After all, he seemed to be a gentle, polite man. Now his secret was out that he was in league with Ganondorf the entire time. What could be said?

A servant's child happily shook a jar that held a pink fairy, fluttering around the jar, hoping to find a way out of it. The poor fairy was at the child's mercy and he wasn't showing any.

Dark jumped to the side to avoid getting hurt again. His heart pumped blood out of his shoulder as his heart rate rose, and he couldn't surrender to him. No way would he lose to this man.

Darion was thinking the same thing. He decided he couldn't lose right outside of his own home. When a person comes and disrespects your house, you show no mercy. And as long as he continued to make his opponent move, the stone cold heart inside of the man in front of him would do all the dirty work for him. "Dance, shadow boy, dance," he taunted with a haunting smile. Dark grunted, probably in pain, as he did a 360, holding his sword in both hands and propelling himself in a circular motion with it. The outsiders almost gasped in awe at the beauty. The sword seemed to drag itself because it was moving so fast, creating a spectacular blue hue that lingered in the air for just a moment, before the shadows sucked it all away. The sapphire on Darion's own sword was nothing compared to it. Of course, from the lack of color, Dark's orbs for eyes were something to look at. Look at and shudder, of course, from the merciless glint in them.

"Call it a draw, pretty boy?" Dark asked him, laughing. "You're hair might get frazzled."

Dark drove his sword at Darion, successfully knocking off his chest plate. Feeling uncomfortable without the chest plate and still having the back plate, he knocked it off. He took in a deep breath because he could now. Dark did a back flip and punched out Darion's breath with a roundhouse kick square in his gut. Darion retaliated with a poorly-aimed thrust at Dark who gave him the satisfaction of being hit. However, it was just a slight scrape. Dark didn't wait for Darion to catch his breath. Instead, he went about knocking off the armor from his body. Darion punched him several times, but earned a rank-smelling combination of blood and saliva on his face. Dark laughed in revenge.

While Dark was busy working on getting his helmet off, Darion whirled. He took in a deep breath, stuck his sword in the ground, and grabbed Dark's neck with both hands and raised him off his feet. He squirmed violently, punching Darion anywhere he could reach. He managed to get an uppercut in, right under his chin, but it didn't have the same force Dark hoped it would have. Darion threw him against his own barrier, which held him in the air for a few seconds while it shocked him. He screamed—an ear-curdling scream that made the little boy drop the jar with the fairy in it. It flew away desperately, and the boy jumped for it. His mother restrained him against her side. It flew up and over the barrier. It spotted Dark, in pain and in need of some dire help.

Darion didn't see it at first. Dark fell on his stomach at his feet with a grunt. Darion picked up his sword, not bothering to shake off the dirt that clung to it.

"I'm _done _dancing with you," he murmured, and shoved his sword right through Dark's spinal cord. A shriek much more teeth-grinding and ear-splitting than the one before followed, but it was much, much shorter. Darion pulled his head up by his hair to watch his eyes roll back in his head.

The fairy, happy it could be of use and not locked in a jar, rushed down to help him. Darion, now alarmed by its presence, tried to swat it away, but it dodged his waving arm. It flew right into Dark's gaping wound. It sprinkled pink sparkles all over Dark's body, killing itself as it did. As it became smaller and smaller, Dark grew stronger. He was given invincibility by its sparkles, but only for a short time; Darion's sword just glided right through him. He stood up, and locked swords with his opponent.

"You cheated!" Darion exclaimed angrily.

"It could be called that, or it could be called luck."

Darion smirked at his statement. "So you admit that I bested you?"

"There's no denying it, of course. There are witnesses that would complicate things as well. But there's still you… and now I'm stronger."

It was true. Darion was considerably weaker from Dark's attacks, and now he didn't have any armor to protect himself with. Whatever he was planning, he could do it now. So he decided to just jump side to side so he couldn't be caught, maybe getting a nick on Dark whenever possible. Dark was much wiser than that, however, and could read his movements easily. He gripped Darion after about fifteen seconds.

"Gotta love the irony, huh, _Darion?"_

"Why must I be dead for your plan to succeed?" he asked through his teeth.

"Why, if you're still alive, then the throne is still taken,_ your Highness."_ Dark wasted no time and sent magic up the grip. Instead of sucking away the light, he sucked away his life. Darion's face slowly grew paler and paler. His struggle faltered. His eyes grew a haze on top of them, only this one was permanent.

_"Alas, you are mine." _Dark murmured. He let go of Darion and he sunk to the ground. His barrier disappeared, and Dark made his vanish as well. He felt very accomplished and stronger. Clenching his fists, he roared into the air and a wave of sickening black energy flowed out of his mouth. The spectators ran away in fear. The only thing left of them was the broken jar the boy had dropped. He found Link and nodded to him. Dark Link's army roared and charged through the entrances to Hyrule Castle in triumph. Dark dubbed Link the new King of Hyrule. He nodded his thanks and walked up the steps and sat in the throne. The army of Dead Ones bowed to him respectively. Dark put Darion's crown on top of his head and bowed to him as well.

"Please. I'm King for two minutes, while you're the King of Shadows for a lifetime. I should be bowing to _you," _he said quietly.

"I shall honor your choice, but remember you _are _King now. You are the ruler of Hyrule. People are forced to worship you, no matter what their wishes are."

"I know. Thank you for the position," he said gratefully.

"You've become quite the gentleman, despite your state."

Link sighed. "I feel as if I'm missing something. Something with incredible personal value."

Dark nodded. "Yes, you are. Two things, actually. In time, they will come to you."

"Two? I can only think of one…"

"Two things. I remember, you don't. All memory of your former, weaker body is gone. It shall come back eventually, never fear."

"Should I never get back the something I'm thinking of, I shall surely die," Link mumbled.

"No, you are strong. The object you are thinking of could never be worthy of you. Forget it, sire. Forget and continue on. There are a few people that have yet to turn to your side. Given my sad state," Dark paused, motioning to the clean, but gaping hole in the center of his chest, "I am of no use to you. I shall train a top-notch fighter into a warrior and have him search for them for you."

"My thanks."

"Be wary of me, your Highness. Should you ever be weaker, the warrior shall take your place."

"Advice accepted. Thank you, your Majesty. I am happy to rule over Hyrule while you control the whims of the land."

"I simply need to find a top-notch fighter."

"I have someone in mind…" Link murmured. He told him the person in mind. Dark's eyes lit up. "A perfect choice! Yes, you are thinking like a King!" Dark left Link's side to find the person in mind.

The haze no longer blinds the Ordonians that live in Zora's Domain. The spectators of Dark Link and Darion's fight fled there and told them everything. The witnesses were lucky to be alive and thanked the Goddesses they were, yet they weren't even sure of the Goddesses' health. Din… Nayru… Farore… They could very well be dead, along with the hope that had died when Eldin Province was lost so quickly. Colin, the only one trying to bring life into the few remaining humans, believed the Goddesses are doing all they can to help. And as they are locked in battle, light versus darkness, it was their job to cheer them on.

In the front of his and Uli's mind, however, Rusl and Syra lingered. Syra, who died a fiery death, and Rusl, who became a Dead One and helped the world over the edge into darkness. Zelda, who feared the worst for her daughter, and everyone for the loss of Link. The Zora's no longer did graceful jumps out of the water. Ralis sat on his throne, pale as a sheet. As much as the optimism that radiated off of Colin, it could not fend off the shadows that invaded the peaceful scenery of the Light Realm.

_"Tis easy enough to be pleasant, when life flows along like a song, but the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong."_

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**Well that's it, folks! Hmm, what could the last phrase mean? Didn't Zelda say that once…? More unanswered questions! Was that battle scene epic enough? I worked so… freaking… hard on that thing. Battle scenes are hard, lemme tell you. Well, at least they are for me. I resorted to Two Shadows, One Light for help, so thank you Eerie Enigma. Read that, folks. Dark Link PWNS. It's a freaking amazing story. **

**Anyway. **_**PLEASE **_**tell me if there's anything I could change to make it better. **

**You're welcome, RadiantSun24. A long chapter. Well, long for me. I hope you are very happy, because it was hard to write. **


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